There are 8 species of bears in the world, with even more subspecies. Each species' cubs are different. Keep reading for some cool facts about bear cubs.

May 24, 2022 · Bears are unique among mammals in that they make motor-like sounds of contentment when drinking their mother’s milk, or otherwise comfortable. Mother bears have six nipples, and the cubs normally start on the two closest to the pelvis, which the mother bear “switches off” as the cubs grow, forcing them to move to the higher 4.

At birth, the cubs weigh less than a pound, have only a light covering of fur, and can barely crawl. The mother eats the birth membranes, licks the cubs, and warms them against her thinly furred belly.

By early April, most cubs weigh 3-9 pounds, depending upon the mothers’ weight and how many littermates competed for her milk. The denning period is over or almost over. This video shows a wild black bear mother caring for her three 5-week-old cubs.

From delayed implantation and the small size of bear cubs to their extended nursing periods and the inventive ways in which mother bears protect their offspring, these fascinating creatures continue to captivate our imagination.

Black Bear Mother Nursing Cubs. See and hear bear cubs nursing. When a mother black bear leads her cubs away from a den, her usual destination is a big tree where the cubs can take refuge from danger. That tree is typically a white pine over 21 inches in diameter.

Newborn cubs have little fur, weigh less than a pound, and can barely crawl. Three cubs is the most common litter size around Ely. Around Ely, temperatures at the time of birth in January can be 60 degrees (F) below zero.

Mar 10, 2025 · Newborn polar bear cubs are currently snuggled in dens with their mothers across the Arctic. Polar bears typically give birth around New Year, at which point the cubs are blind, hairless, and just a 1/2 kg (or 1 lb). They grow quickly, nursing on their mom’s milk which is 31% fat, reaching around 10kg – up to 20 times their birth weight ...

May 25, 2024 · Bear cub development and adolescence are fascinating periods marked by significant physical and behavioral changes as young bears transition to independence. Bear cubs are typically born blind, hairless, and completely dependent on their mothers for …

Feb 27, 2025 · Drifting snow helps polar bear dens remain hidden. (B.J. Kirschhoffer/Polar Bears International), CC BY An elusive phenomenon. While they provide ideal conditions for developing cubs, maternal ...