Polar bears can smell a seal three feet below the snow

Polar bears and the Arctic region go together perfectly. In fact, the word arctic is derived from the ancient Greek word for bear, arktos, according to Polar Bears International. This is why you’ll only find polar bears in the Arctic region, but not the Antarctic (which translates to “opposite of the bear”).

Their sense of smell is super impressive. Apolar bear can smell a seal underneath water and snow from nearly a half mile away, according to the World Wildlife Fund For Nature. Even if the seal is beneath three feet of snow, the bear can still sniff out its presence.