Polar bears are remarkable swimmers capable of covering extremely long distances in open water. Studies have documented polar bears regularly swimming over 30 miles (48 kilometers), with many swims averaging around 96 miles (154 kilometers)

. In exceptional cases, a polar bear has been recorded swimming as far as 220 miles (354 kilometers) in one continuous swim

. Even more impressively, a female polar bear was tracked swimming for nine days straight, covering a record-breaking distance of 426 miles (687 kilometers) in the Beaufort Sea

. This swim lasted about nine days and highlights the bears' extraordinary endurance and adaptation to their aquatic environment. Polar bears use their large, paddle-like front paws to propel themselves through the water with a doggy-paddle stroke, while their hind legs act as rudders. Their thick layer of insulating fat helps them stay warm and buoyant during these long swims

. These long-distance swims have become more common due to the loss of sea ice caused by climate change, forcing polar bears to travel greater distances between ice floes and land

. In summary, polar bears can swim tens to hundreds of miles, with documented swims ranging from about 30 miles regularly up to a maximum recorded distance of 426 miles over nine days