One is the loneliest number: Young polar bear plays fetch the stick... with himself

By Mail Foreign Service
Updated:

Normally a powerful, haughty predator, this polar bear shows his playful side in a set of stunning images.

Seemingly undeterred by his lack of a playmate, the young bear tossed the stick up and down and at one point even appeared to wave at the camera as he frolicked on ice close to Fairbanks, Alaska.

The teenage male was captured by Photographer Steven John Kazlowski, who has been photographing polar bears in the region for the past 11 years.

Playful: The polar bear tosses the stick in the air as he bounds about on the ice close to Fairbanks, Alaska

Playful: The polar bear tosses the stick in the air as he bounds about on the ice close to Fairbanks, Alaska

Hello there: The young bear appears to wave at the camera as he plays in the snow

Hello there: The young bear appears to wave at the camera as he plays in the snow

The boisterous bear seemed fascinated by the stick, playing with it for three hours at the Arctic National Wildlife refuge.

Steven explained: 'This is very normal behaviour for a teenage Polar Bear.  

'They're very playful and curious animals at this age.

Improvising: The bear enjoyed his game for nearly three hours

Improvising: The bear enjoyed his game for nearly three hours

'I had been tracking this one bear for two months. He seemed to love that stick and would play with it for two or three hours everyday.' 

Steven, 39, is the author of The Last Polar Bear and tours universities and lecture theatres across the US in a bid to raise awareness of the uncertain future of the animals.

Normal behaviour: Teenage polar bears are typically playful and boisterous

Normal behaviour: Teenage polar bears are typically playful and boisterous




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