Foxe Basin polar bear vs Kodiak bear

[brobear]

Looking at this accurate comparison picture, even though the polar bear has a hefty weight advantage, in a face-off, with both bears at their peak in good health, and both bears enraged, I would give this confrontation a 50/50. 
picture by theundertaker45

[brobear]

This contest is between the largest type of brown bear and the largest type of polar bear. A real contest; an interesting confrontation.
If we were to simply say brown bear vs polar bear, then we find that the polar bear certainly comes out on top. I personally view the Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) as being the quintessential brown bear.

[OldGreenGrolar]

Isn't a male foxe basin polar bear 1300 pounds on average? That heavier than a 1077 pound winter weight Kodiak bear. While I support the Kodiak at weight parity, the male polar bears in Foce Basin are too big.

[brobear]

Jul 10, 2024 15:06:16 GMT -5 OldGreenGrolar said:

Isn't a male foxe basin polar bear 1300 pounds on average? That heavier than a 1077 pound winter weight Kodiak bear. While I support the Kodiak at weight parity, the male polar bears in Foce Basin are too big.

Average fully grown male Kodiak bear (9 years+) - from 882 to 992 pounds. Yes, we have 1300 pounds for the average Foxe Basin polar bear. 
I averaged 882 and 992 and it comes to: average adult male Kodiak bear weighs 937 pounds.
So, the polar bear has a 363 pounds weight advantage. 
I have read, as I'm certain you have, just how thick of a layer of fat a polar bear has for both climate and buoyancy. The Kodiak's weight would be Spring or Summer weight. So, while the polar bear is indeed the bigger bear, the size difference should not be as great as the weight numbers suggest. In other words, a skeleton-to-skeleton comparison would show a clear picture. 
Nevertheless, the polar bear is bigger and that fat does provide more weight advantage as well as greater durability. However, being the fighter that a brown bear is, this would be an interesting face-off. 
*I will estimate polar bear over brown bear - 7 out of 10.  (the numbers are intimidating) 

[OldGreenGrolar]

/\ Polar bears have the thickest fur coat out of all bears and despite having less robust limbs and body pound to pound, they have denser bones and slightly better at grappling compared to the brown bear.

Regarding fat, males have 30 to 33% at most and that is similar to that of a late summer brown bear in my opinion. Having more fat does not slow down a polar bear as they possess enough bone strength to sustain that amount of weight.
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 (1) polar bears are better grapplers... I disagree, as does Warsaw as I recall.
 
(2) polar bears have denser bones... This was also refuted. The individual who said this looked at the bones of one polar bear and one brown bear (from where)? 
 
Bone density depends on usage. A brown bear who lives in the mountains will have denser bones than one living on flat ground (same is true with active people). Also note, a brown bear who routinely digs into near-concrete-hard Earth riddled with tough roots and rocks is going to have denser bones. A polar bear, being aquatic will also have denser bones. *However, the contest is not about species but rather individual animals. 
 
(3) I never said that fat slows down a polar bear. My point is, the 363 pounds weight advantage does not provide as much of a size difference as one might automatically think.

[brobear]

Credits to Warsaw... www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8437730/
More flexible?
better grapplers ?

This result supports the forearms of polar bears being less dexterous than those of other ursids, consistent with the previous report [9]. In this study, the forearm of polar bear was CT-scanned in relatively extended elbow joint angle compared with the other bears. However, the difference in the elbow joint extension/flexion angle is not considered to affect the range of maximum pronation/supination angles in the bears as well as in humans [7]. It is unknown whether the limited mobility of the forearms in the polar bear results from morphological changes due to remarkable growing of the body like seen in adult brown bears or if it is a natural characteristic in this species because the forearms of non-adult polar bears were unable to be examined in this study. In future studies, analyses of the pronation/supination angle in non-adult polar bears are necessary to clarify this.
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*Note: Brown bears might be the better grapplers, but, if they are, I highly doubt that the difference is enough to effect the outcome of a face-off.

[OldGreenGrolar]

/\ I have seen this article too but do you remember the link posted by Undertaker which says the polar bear is a slightly better grappler? Slightly lower PC2 value compared to the brown bear? It is the same link which says bears are better grapplers than big cats.

The article from Warsaw says the polar bear has less dexterous forearms than other bears yet the link from Taker says the polar bear is the best grappler. I guess it is referring to different parts of the forearm.

[brobear]

I have no idea what PC2 value is.
Forearm = arm from elbow to wrist.
Forelimb = the arm as apposed to a leg. The limbs up front.
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Which bear species is the better grappler is pretty much meaningless to me. Reason, all bears are superior grapplers over a cat. However, compared to a dog (or wolf) cats are excellent grapplers. My conclusion is: which of any two bear species is a better grappler than the other is rather pointless. All bears are excellent grapplers. Therefore, what little superiority one bear has over another in this area is not a game changing advantage.