This is the hilarious moment a polar bear cub belly flopped into icy water in a failed attempt to catch its lunch. Instead of diving gracefully, the two-year-old was seen suspended in mid-air before face-planting  with such force that his prey was scared into hiding. He then clambered back onto the ice in Kaktovik, Alaska, looking a little soggy before sulking away from the camera. Wildlife photographer, Michael D. Stern, 70, watched the youngster skid around on the ice before suddenly deciding to go for a dip. 'The cub was in a very playful mood when it jumped head first into the water,' he said. The two-year-old polar bear cub was seen suspended in mid-air before crashing down with such force that his prey was scared off . Instead of diving gracefully, the playful polar bear cub face-planted straight into the icy water off Kaktovik, Alaska . 'The ice was very slippy and it looked a little off balance on the run up to the edge. 'The bear had been happily playing on its own when it decided it wanted to go for a swim. 'It tried its best to dive into the water but instead it just belly flopped straight into the icy water. 'I was in Kaktovik for an intensive photography expedition when I saw the hilarious moment and I spent approximately 8 to 10 hours a day on the ice. 'They are a beautiful animal species and while looking somewhat harmless they are very powerful and very dangerous.' Known for their incredible ability to swim across huge expanses of open water, the powerful animals can swim over 100 miles without stopping. Wildlife photographer, Michael D. Stern, 70, watched the youngster skid around on the ice before suddenly deciding to go for a dip . Realising his embarrassing mistake, the polar bear then re-surfaced without catching any food and held onto an ice float . Polar bears are the largest land carnivores in the world, rivaled only by the Kodiak brown bears of southwestern Alaska. They spend much of their time on Arctic sea ice, so their fur is thicker than any other bears' and covers even their feet for warmth and traction on ice. A thick layer of blubber beneath their fur provides buoyancy and insulation. The long neck and narrow skull of the polar bear probably aid in streamlining the animal in the water while warming the air that they breathe, and their front feet are large, flat and oar-like, making them excellent swimmers. Polar bears feed almost exclusively on ringed seals and bearded seals. They are also known to eat walrus,beluga whale and bowhead whale carcasses, birds' eggs, and (rarely) vegetation. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) estimates that there are between 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears in the world. He clambered back on the ice looking a little soggy and started shaking the water from his fur, before sulking away from the camera . Polar bears are the largest land carnivores in the world, rivaled only by the Kodiak brown bears of southwestern Alaska . The World Conservation Union (IUCN) estimates that there are between 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears left in the world .
Polar bear cub spotted belly-flopping into the ocean off Kaktovik, Alaska, in a failed attempt to catch its lunch .
Wildlife photographer, Michael D. Stern, 70, watched the youngster skid around on the ice before going for a dip .
He spent eight to 10 hours on the ice capturing the mammals which are the largest land carnivores in the world .
The powerful animals can swim more than 100 miles without stopping and have a thick layer of blubber for buoyancy .
This is the hilarious moment a polar bear cub belly flopped into icy water in a failed attempt to catch its lunch. Instead of diving gracefully, the two-year-old was seen suspended in mid-air before face-planting  with such force that his prey was scared into hiding. He then clambered back onto the ice in Kaktovik, Alaska, looking a little soggy before sulking away from the camera. Wildlife photographer, Michael D. Stern, 70, watched the youngster skid around on the ice before suddenly deciding to go for a dip. 'The cub was in a very playful mood when it jumped head first into the water,' he said. The two-year-old polar bear cub was seen suspended in mid-air before crashing down with such force that his prey was scared off . Instead of diving gracefully, the playful polar bear cub face-planted straight into the icy water off Kaktovik, Alaska . 'The ice was very slippy and it looked a little off balance on the run up to the edge. 'The bear had been happily playing on its own when it decided it wanted to go for a swim. 'It tried its best to dive into the water but instead it just belly flopped straight into the icy water. 'I was in Kaktovik for an intensive photography expedition when I saw the hilarious moment and I spent approximately 8 to 10 hours a day on the ice. 'They are a beautiful animal species and while looking somewhat harmless they are very powerful and very dangerous.' Known for their incredible ability to swim across huge expanses of open water, the powerful animals can swim over 100 miles without stopping. Wildlife photographer, Michael D. Stern, 70, watched the youngster skid around on the ice before suddenly deciding to go for a dip . Realising his embarrassing mistake, the polar bear then re-surfaced without catching any food and held onto an ice float . Polar bears are the largest land carnivores in the world, rivaled only by the Kodiak brown bears of southwestern Alaska. They spend much of their time on Arctic sea ice, so their fur is thicker than any other bears' and covers even their feet for warmth and traction on ice. A thick layer of blubber beneath their fur provides buoyancy and insulation. The long neck and narrow skull of the polar bear probably aid in streamlining the animal in the water while warming the air that they breathe, and their front feet are large, flat and oar-like, making them excellent swimmers. Polar bears feed almost exclusively on ringed seals and bearded seals. They are also known to eat walrus,beluga whale and bowhead whale carcasses, birds' eggs, and (rarely) vegetation. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) estimates that there are between 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears in the world. He clambered back on the ice looking a little soggy and started shaking the water from his fur, before sulking away from the camera . Polar bears are the largest land carnivores in the world, rivaled only by the Kodiak brown bears of southwestern Alaska . The World Conservation Union (IUCN) estimates that there are between 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears left in the world .
belly flopped into icy water in a failed attempt to catch its lunch. Instead of diving gracefully, Wildlife photographer, Michael D. Stern, gracefully, the playful polar bear cub Kaktovik, Alaska . 'The ice was very slippy and powerful animals can swim over 100 miles without stopping. Wildlife photographer, Michael D. Stern, 70, watched the youngster skid around on the ice before suddenly deciding to go for a dip largest land carnivores in the world, rivaled traction on ice. A thick layer of blubber beneath Polar bears are the largest land carnivores in