Everyone loves baby polar bears. They are adorable and cuddly, but also believe it or not, they have some pretty interesting facts behind them.
Polar bear babies are called cubs
Cubs are born in litters of one to four, with an average of two to three. The mother gives birth to her cubs in a snow den dug by the male. Cubs weigh about 1 pound (450 grams) at birth and grow quickly, gaining approximately 5 pounds (2 kg) per week during their first month. By the time they are 4 months old, they weigh between 30 and 40 pounds (13.5-18 kg). Their coats begin to turn white at about 10 weeks of age and they leave their mothers at 18 months of age when they weigh 250-300 lbs (113-136 kg).
Cubs are born blind, and don’t open their eyes until they’re about a month old
Their eyesight is not fully developed until they are three to four months old. Cubs rely on their keen sense of smell and hearing to get around. They will crawl on all fours until they can walk, which usually happens at about three months of age. Cubs are very independent and playful, even though they are still nursing from their mothers. There is no way to tell the sex of a bear by looking at its face or paws, so you have to wait until it reaches maturity for that information.
Once the cubs reach about two years old, they leave the den and travel with their mother for another year before going off on their own. The mother bears continue to care for them for another two years after this point until the cubs are ready to mate themselves and start having cubs of their own!
Mama polar bears go into the “denning” phase during the winter
The denning phase is a period of fasting and hibernation that lasts for up to eight months. During this time, the bear is in an unresponsive state called torpor. This means that they do not eat or drink during this time as they conserve energy and body fat reserves.
Polar bears are well adapted to living in cold environments because they have thick fur coats and large bodies that act as heat insulators. They also have longer claws than other bears so they can dig dens into the snow and ice where they spend the winter months
Mama polar bears only eat snow while protecting their cubs from the cold in the den
Polar bears are well known for their love of ice and snow. They rely on these elements to survive, as they provide them with food, water and shelter. But how much do you know about polar bears’ eating habits?
Polar bears only eat snow while protecting their cubs from the cold in the den. In fact, they actually develop a taste for it!
The polar bear’s diet consists of seals and fish, but they also eat other foods such as birds, eggs and berries.
A polar bear’s paws are covered with fur
When you think of polar bears, you probably think of their thick fur and the fact that they live in the Arctic. But did you know that their paws are also covered with fur? This is a very important adaptation for these animals because it protects them from the cold surfaces of ice and snow, as well as providing traction on slippery ground.
Baby polar bear paws grow larger than an adult human hand
A cub’s paws are generally proportionate to its body size; however, they can be as large as an adult human hand when they’re full grown! The giant paws help bears walk on snow and ice without sinking into it too deeply or slipping around too much when they’re hunting seals or other prey in the water.
They’re also large in comparison to other newborn mammal paws, like puppies and kittens!
Bonus interesting facts about baby polar bears
Polar bear cubs that have not been taught to hunt by their mothers will usually starve. If a mother polar bear is killed, the other bears in her family may travel hundreds of miles in search of food. Polar bears are also strong swimmers and, if need be, can travel long distances by swimming.
Other articles that may interest you:
Is a Shaved Polar Bear Really a Hairless American Brown Bear?