Polar Bear Cubs

Although Polar Bears don’t hibernate, Polar Bear cubs are born in warm dens. Pregnant females leave the Arctic ice where they usually hunt and move to the shore to build a den where their newborn cubs will be safe from predators and adult males. Like all bears, Polar Bears lead a solitary life and gather in groups only for several weeks during the breeding season. Several males compete for a female and only the largest and strongest individuals have a chance to mate. The courtship and mating activities of the Polar Bear are usually very noisy and boisterous.

Female Polar Bears are receptive once every three or four years, because they have to nurse and bring up their former litter. It takes much time to raise Polar Bear cubs, because the mother has to teach them effective methods of hunting. Life in the Arctic is very difficult for all animals. As there is almost no vegetation in their habitats, Polar Bears became pure carnivores. Large carnivores, like Polar Bears, have to be very agile and clever to survive when their typical food is scarce. Many young bears die of starvation during their first independent year.

Polar Bear females are induced ovulators. It means that they don’t ovulate when no male is around. Because of low population density, a female may not meet a male for months. The act of mating leads to ovulation and several days of interaction are necessary to guarantee the fertilization. After mating, the male leaves the female and doesn’t participate in rearing the cubs. Males often display aggression towards their own cubs and the females have to protect them from their own father.

Low reproductive rate and highly specialized diet are serious threats to the population of the Polar Bear. To maintain the healthy population, Polar Bears should be protected by law. Most females give birth to 8-10 cubs in their lives and only a half of them survive to the age of sexual maturity. Small cubs are an easy prey for wolves and other carnivores. There are usually one or two Polar Bear cubs in a litter.