An adult male polar bear standing on its hind legs can reach up to about 3 meters (approximately 10 feet) tall, making it one of the largest terrestrial carnivores in the world
. Female polar bears are generally smaller, standing around 2.4 meters (about 8 feet) tall when upright
. The tallest recorded polar bear measured approximately 3.39 meters (about 11 feet) tall and weighed around 1,002 kilograms; this specimen was found in Alaska in the 1960s and remains a historical record
. Polar bears do not walk upright but stand on their hind legs occasionally to explore their surroundings, warn of threats, or investigate objects, revealing their impressive height and size