During the time that the cubs are with their mother, they must learn how to hunt and survive in one of the Earth's harshest environments. Polar bear cubs normally stay with their mother until they are 1.5 to 2.5 years old. They are completely dependent on their mother for warmth and food. At birth, the cubs are blind, toothless, and covered with short, soft fur. A pregnant polar bear needs to eat a lot in the summer and fall to build up enough fat reserves for surviving the denning period.ĭuring denning, she gives birth to one-pound cubs and then nurses them to about 20-30 pounds before emerging from the den in March or April, but does not eat. Females will often not produce young if food is scarce. The abundance of food determines whether a pregnancy will be maintained and the number of young that will be born. This type of reproduction is called “delayed implantation” and allows a female to become pregnant when food supplies are best and when she is in good physical condition. Polar bear mating season is in the late winter and early spring, but the actual implantation of the embryo does not happen until early winter, delaying the development of the fetus. Polar bears have one of the slowest reproductive rates of any mammal, with a female typically producing five litters in her lifetime. Directions We are located at: 4850 West Powell Rd. Search for Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in your Apple or Google Play app store. Get in-park notifications about upcoming events near you like Cheetah Runs. They utilize their nose and sensitive whiskers to explore their environment.Ī female polar bear will have her first set of cubs between the ages of four and eight (most frequently at age five or six). Use step-by-step walking directions while youre here. Polar bears have an excellent sense of smell, but their hearing and vision are not as strong. This body shape keeps them streamlined in the water. They are stocky in build with a head that is smaller than other bears, with an elongated neck. A thick layer of insulating fat keeps them warm and helps keep them afloat in water. Polar bear paws are very large and can spread their weight out to keep them from falling through thin ice. The soles of all four paws are covered in fur, acting as both insulation and traction while walking on ice and snow. The front paws are broad and make excellent paddles for swimming. The fur consists of a dense undercoat topped by guard hairs of varying lengths. ![]() A polar bear's fur is not white: each hair is pigment-free and transparent with a hollow core. It ranges in color from pure white after a molt to a yellowish shade resulting from solar oxidation or staining by oil from seal blubber. The polar bear is the largest land predator in the world.
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