These were data collected from polar bears from the southern Beaufort Sea during the spring between 2004 and 2016. Data include individual bear identification, age and sex class, capture date, capture year, open water season lengths, melt season length, and diet composition (expressed as a percentage of prey species). These data were used to determine whether polar bear diets have recently changed or remained stable over time.

These were data collected from polar bears from the southern Beaufort Sea during the spring between 2004 and 2016. Data include individual bear identification, age and sex class, capture date, capture year, open water season lengths, melt season length, and diet composition (expressed as a percentage of prey species). These data were used to determine whether polar bear diets have recently changed or remained stable over time.

These data consist of the fatty acid composition (percent of mass) of adipose tissue samples from polar bears in Alaska's southern Beaufort Sea. Fat biopsy samples were collected from polar bears that were either captured or biopsy darted along the north coast of Alaska or on offshore ice during March, April, or May from 2004 to 2016. The data also include an identification code unique to an individual bear, sex, age class, and the date of sample collection.

This dataset is one table with data collected and derived from polar bears sampled in Alaska's southern Beaufort Sea during 2015-2019. Data include demographic and morphometric information from each sampled polar bear, gut microbiome diversity indices derived from fecal DNA metabarcoding, and the proportion of prey species detected in individual bear diets derived from quantitative fatty acid analysis (QFASA). The presence of prey items in the diet of polar bears was also assessed using fecal DNA metabarcoding. Note that cetacean data obtained via DNA metabarcoding was not analyzed and is not presented in this data release. Only southern Beaufort Sea population data are included in this USGS data release. All DNA sequence data have been submitted to the NCBI Short Read Archive (accession bioproject ID: PRJNA773176).

This dataset is one table with data collected and derived from polar bears sampled in Alaska's southern Beaufort Sea during 2015-2019. Data include demographic and morphometric information from each sampled polar bear, gut microbiome diversity indices derived from fecal DNA metabarcoding, and the proportion of prey species detected in individual bear diets derived from quantitative fatty acid analysis (QFASA). The presence of prey items in the diet of polar bears was also assessed using fecal DNA metabarcoding. Note that cetacean data obtained via DNA metabarcoding was not analyzed and is not presented in this data release. Only southern Beaufort Sea population data are included in this USGS data release. All DNA sequence data have been submitted to the NCBI Short Read Archive (accession bioproject ID: PRJNA773176).

These data are the fatty acid compositions (in percent) of adipose tissue samples collected from polar bears and of blubber samples collected from ringed and bearded seal killed by polar bears in the Chukchi Sea, 2008-2017. The dataset includes sex, age, and age class of the bears that were sampled. The data are provided as percent of each fatty acid identified via nomenclature that describes the structure of each fatty acid.

This dataset is two tables with data collected and derived from polar bears sampled in Alaska’s southern Beaufort Sea during 2008-2019. Collected data includes demographic and morphometric information and derived data includes mercury concentrations in hair samples. Ancillary data includes gut microbiome abundances, diversity indices, calculated body condition, and the proportions of prey species detected in individual bear diets. These data were used to determine whether gut microbiota community richness and diversity were associated with diet-acquired mercury.

This is a single table containing measures of the amount of fat and meat consumed by 4 adult female and 5 adult male polar bears in U.S. zoos when provided both food sources ad libitum for 12-14 days. Trial length was intended to be 14 days, but trial dietary items ran out for two bears prior to the end of the trial (i.e., at 12 and 13 days instead of 14 days). The data set includes the weight of each bear at the beginning and end of the trial and the dry matter, protein, lipid, and energy content of the meat provided in the trials. Fat was considered to be 100% dry matter and 100% lipid.

This data release includes 4 child items with data regarding metabolic rate, body composition, diet, behavior, blood chemistry, stable isotope, tri-axial accelerometer, and GPS locations of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) on land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019-2022. Child Item 1: "GPS Location Data from Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) Instrumented on Land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019-2022" Child Item 2: "Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, and Blood Biochemistry Data from Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) on Land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019-2022" Child Item 3: "Tri-axial Accelerometer and Temperature Data from Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) Instrumented on Land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019-2022" Child Item 4: "Behavior and Diet Data Derived from Video Camera Collars on Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) Instrumented on Land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019-2022"

This dataset contains fatty acid data expressed as mass percent of total fatty acids from Chukchi Sea polar bears.