Bear Facts
Polar Bear Cubs
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Female polar bears usually have two cubs. Though mating takes place in April or May, the fertile ova are not implanted until the following fall. This process is known as delayed implantation.
In most parts of the Arctic, the mother bear digs a snow den in which to give birth. Along Western Hudson Bay, in the subarctic, mother bears begin their denning period in earthen dens along river banks and later move to snow dens.
The female polar bear gives birth to her cubs about two months after she enters the maternity den, usually by early January. Newborns are 12 to 14 inches long and weigh little more than a pound. They grow rapidly, however, by drinking their mother's rich milk. The family remains in the den until March or early April.
During the mother bear's entire time in the maternity den—from four to eight months—she does not eat or drink. When she finally emerges with her cubs, she leads them to the sea ice so she can break her long fast by hunting seals.
A mother bear's success at hunting seals directly influences the well-being of her cubs. For at least 20 months, polar bear cubs drink their mother's milk and depend on her for survival. During that time, they learn to hunt and meet the challenges of the Arctic. Females in the Low Arctic wean their cubs as they approach their second birthday, while those in the High Arctic, where conditions are more demanding, care for their cubs an additional year.
In most parts of the Arctic, the mother bear digs a snow den in which to give birth. Along Western Hudson Bay, in the subarctic, mother bears begin their denning period in earthen dens along river banks and later move to snow dens.
The female polar bear gives birth to her cubs about two months after she enters the maternity den, usually by early January. Newborns are 12 to 14 inches long and weigh little more than a pound. They grow rapidly, however, by drinking their mother's rich milk. The family remains in the den until March or early April.
During the mother bear's entire time in the maternity den—from four to eight months—she does not eat or drink. When she finally emerges with her cubs, she leads them to the sea ice so she can break her long fast by hunting seals.
A mother bear's success at hunting seals directly influences the well-being of her cubs. For at least 20 months, polar bear cubs drink their mother's milk and depend on her for survival. During that time, they learn to hunt and meet the challenges of the Arctic. Females in the Low Arctic wean their cubs as they approach their second birthday, while those in the High Arctic, where conditions are more demanding, care for their cubs an additional year.