Rivers, lakes and seas play a crucial role in the lives of bears all around the world. Brown bears in Alaska scoop salmon from fast-flowing streams, while polar bears in the Arctic swim between ice floes in search of seals.
Moon bears cool down in forest pools during hot summers. Even the giant panda, though largely herbivorous, drinks daily from mountain streams.
Waterways act as feeding grounds, migration routes and playgrounds, shaping bear behaviour and survival. Here, we reveal a series of remarkable images of bears doing their thing in these watery realms.
In pictures: water bears
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Top image: brown bear hunting salmon in Katmai National Park, Alaska. Credit: Getty
More amazing images of wild animals from around the world
