No one can deny the grace and strength that place polar bears among the most magnificent animals on the planet. Despite their reputation for being somewhat dangerous, they are still considered an extremely beautiful and majestic beast. Leading wildlife tour companies offer specialized polar bear tours among their portfolio of exciting nature-focused trips, and this is a fantastic opportunity to see these wondrous creatures in their natural habitat.
Although you will travel with an experienced guide on polar bear tours, you can enhance your experience by learning as much as you can about how the animals live and behave. Here we explore how female polar bears care for their young from birth.
At birth
When the puppies are born they weigh about 500-600 g and measure about 30 cm; males are usually slightly larger than females. While puppies may appear to be hairless at birth, they are actually very fine. Small, vulnerable and born with their eyes closed, the cubs are virtually helpless when they come into the world.
The love of a mother
The female has four mammary glands to nurse her young, which she does sitting or lying down. Staying close to the mother also helps the pups stay warm. Lactation is a frequent occurrence in the first weeks of a puppy’s life and they can nurse up to six times a day. Lactation decreases as the pups grow, but a female can feed her pups for up to 30 months. Many pups stop nursing of their own free will around 18 months, but still remain with their mother until they are almost three years old.
Vital to the pups’ survival in the harsh conditions of the Arctic, mother’s milk is 33% fat, compared to the 3-5% fat found in human milk.
As with most animals, mothers will protect their young with their own lives, and the instinct to defend the young is extremely strong.
Growing
The cubs begin to open their eyes in the first four weeks after birth and begin to walk around two months while still in the protective den. When the mother encourages her pups to leave the den in the spring, she continues to stay close to home so the pups can return when they need to. At this time the pups acclimatize to the cold and practice walking. The mother teaches the cubs to hunt, and although she is only observed for the first year, this is a valuable experience. It is not until a pup is around two years old that she can hunt proficiently, and at this age she can kill a seal once every five days.
Once the pup is around 30 months old, the mother is ready to breed again; either she or a pursuing male will chase away the pups and force them to start life as adults.
If you’re lucky enough to experience the sight of a mother and her cubs during Polar Bear tours, it’s a truly memorable experience. Specialized bear tours are designed by wildlife experts to give you the best viewing opportunities, so depending on the time of year you travel, the chances of seeing a mother and her cubs are reasonably high.