Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 10/06/2009 - 13:42
Forums
Polar Bear Response to Sea Ice Loss

Ms. Galvan, What happens to the daddy polar bear after the cub is born? Do they just leave the mother and cub to survive alone? Amanda Wesche

Wed, 10/07/2009 - 09:15

Cristina Galvan

Hi Amanda -You must be a budding Polar scientist with all your great questions!
After the male polar bear mates with the female bear, he doesn't really
stay around. He might stay around long enough to make sure that he is the
only bear to mate with that female, but that's all.
Mating usually happens in the spring, but the cub doesn't start developing
right away. The cubs are usually born in January or February of the
following year.
The cub then stays with the mother bear for a little more than 2 years.
Keep the great questions coming!
-Ms Galvan