The Bear Facts - Polar Bears Hunting Seals Hunting Seals Polar bears only rarely catch seals in open water. They are far more successful at hunting them on the sea ice. On the ice, the bears catch their prey when they surface to breathe. Rifts in the ice, called leads, give seals access to oxygen.
Seals also surface to breathe at polynyas, areas of open water surrounded by ice.
Polynyas are created by a combination of winds, tidal currents, and upwellings of water. They remain open throughout the winter months. In addition to surfacing at leads and polynyas, seals cut breathing holes in the ice. The Inuit call these holes aglus. In fall, each seal cuts ten to fifteen aglus in the ice, using the sharp claws on their foreflippers.