A. Sexual maturity. 3.Most male polar bears don't successfully mate until 8 to 10 years and older. B. Mating activity. 1.Breeding takes place in April and May on the sea ice. 2.During the breeding season, males and females find each other by congregating in the best seal-hunting habitats.
Scientists are uncertain what signals males use to track breeding females.
4.Competition for females is intense. 5.Before mating, a female polar bear may be accompanied by several males. The males fight fiercely among themselves until the strongest or largest male succeeds in chasing the others away. A polar bear threatening to attack another polar bear usually lowers its head, flattens its ears back, and gives an open mouth threat with a hisslike roar. 6.Dominant males may succeed in breeding several females in a season.