text: could polar bears survive if placed at the south pole?   i've wondered this myself, after being annoyed seeing polar bears and penguins together on a tv advertisement. as mentioned in previous posts, penguins would only be a seasonally-available food supply, although a good one when present. there are however, six species of seals in antarctic waters, at least one of them (weddell seals) maintain breathing holes in the ice throughout the southern winter. they have no experience with land predators, and with the amazing seal-hunting skills of the polar bear, they would be easy prey. i decided that polar bears just may have a chance surviving in the antarctic. let's not try to find out though, as their presence would be devastating for the species mentioned above and the antarctic ecosystem as a whole. fun to ponder though!