Updated 23 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Polar Bears: When They Attack and What They Drop
Polar bears are 30 HP bears found in snowy plains, ice spikes and frozen oceans. Adults are neutral and only attack if you hit one or go near or hurt a cub, while cubs are passive. They drop raw cod or salmon, swim as fast as you, ignore powder snow, and cannot be bred.
Where do polar bears spawn?
In snowy plains, ice spikes, frozen oceans and deep frozen oceans, in groups of up to two. Bedrock also spawns them in frozen rivers, snowy slopes and jagged and frozen peaks. See biomes.
When do polar bears attack?
- Cubs are always passive.
- Adults are neutral: they turn hostile if you hit them, or if you come close to or attack a cub near them.
- Hurting a cub (without killing it in one hit on Java) angers every adult in a 41x21x41 area, on any difficulty, though on Peaceful they deal no damage.
- Adults also attack foxes.
How do you get away from a polar bear?
Do not swim: polar bears swim as fast as you, so water does not help. They are also immune to freezing in powder snow. The best defence is to keep away from cubs. See powder snow.
What do polar bears drop?
On Java each bear drops either raw cod or raw salmon, 0-2 of it, with cod about three times as likely; the fish comes out cooked if the bear was on fire. On Bedrock both drops are rolled. Plus 1-3 experience; cubs drop nothing. Polar bears cannot be bred: cubs only spawn naturally and grow up after 20 minutes. See breeding animals.
Does ArtemisPvP have custom animals?
Frequently asked questions
Are polar bears hostile?
Adults are neutral; they attack if hit or if you go near or hurt a cub.
Can you breed polar bears?
No: cubs only spawn naturally.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.