Haines, Alaska Sept. 12, 2016
Life with Tweens ….
Mother bears generally wake in the spring with 2 cubs. The cubs will spend almost 3 years with her, She’ll hibernate with the cubs for the next two winters. Finally the third summer she will shoo them off – then she’ll be ready to start the cycle all over again! In my last post, the cub was only 7 months old and momma was in the midst of fattening herself and her cub for their long sleep. These cubs are older – about 19 months old. They too are in a serious quest for the food necessary to sustain them through the winter.
The behavior of older cubs is very different than the young cub. Again, so much fun to watch. I spent 3 days, perhaps 3 hours each day, with this family group. For my story, these images are not strictly sequential; instead I have chosen them to illustrate an idea: tween bears cubs may be very much like tween children!
The bear family still stays together
After a rain, the river is up. The current is strong and fast. I spotted the family on the other side of the river and watched momma lead them back upstream.
At this age, the cubs are more independent – they sometimes get ahead and lead momma. The cubs are also big enough to be hard to distinguish from momma in the water. This bear has been tagged. There is a small green ring in her ear – you can see it in this picture. Often I have to spot the ring and then follow the bear through my images to distinguish the mother from her when they are in the water.
And one cub prefers to swim – even in the strong current.
New skills underlie their independence.
At this age the cubs have the idea of fishing. The fishing here is easy because the salmon have already spawned and are floating downstream in a very weakened condition.
Perfect for training cubs to fish for their own meal.
Sometimes momma lets the kids fish while she eats her own catch!
Sometimes the bear cubs stray an uncomfortable distance from momma. Then, like all mothers, momma bear yells, “Dinnertime!”
She puts the food on the table and one cub is there to get it.
One cub heeds the call – perhaps this cub doesn’t want to get to the table late!
Bears, even cubs, are fast!
Lickety split …
watch him go!
He’s coming through …
I’m glad I’m on the other side of the river …
because there is no stopping a hungry cub.
“Momma, I’m here!”
Even though this cub was late to the table, momma let him take a fish and head off a bit to eat it!
Jealous?!!?
I know we are not suppose to attribute human emotions to animals, but …
Doesn’t this look like the cub in the water is jealous of the cub eating salmon on the rock?
And again, doesn’t this look like jealousy?
They even fight like tweens!
While momma eats, the cubs begin to squabble!
I believe this sequence looks nastier than it really is …
They really look like human children …
as they spar and fight …
They’re just playing … I think.
Mother and cub swim together.