Cubs are born in January and when we see them in the mountains, they are already four to five months old. They weigh less than a pound, have a very light covering of fur and crawl very slowly. The mother will eat their birth membranes, lick the cubs and warm them by placing them next to her less furred belly. She will move and adjust to her cubs’ comfort sounds and cries, always making sure not to place too much weight on the cubs. The nursing mother loses about a third of her body weight with full-time babysitting and nursing, compared to non-nursing bears, who lose 15 to 25%.
The cubs, when getting out of their dens, can’t out-run predators, but can climb trees for safety. The cubs depend on their mother for food, as their chewing teeth don’t come out until later in spring. Until it’s time to nurse, the cubs will be busy hanging out, exploring near their mom or, like this cub, practising its climbing technique. Since the cubs are not able to eat at first, being up in a tree is a safe place to be. When the mother is ready to move or time to nurse, she will call them down. The mother may also climb up a tree when there is danger or just to be in a safe spot with their cubs.
Around this time of year, if you see an adult female black bear, maintain a safe distance and scan nearby trees for little shadows.
