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Monday, February 29, 2016

Newborn Bear Cubs!!!

I finally found uninterrupted time to put together a video to show the exciting action at the bear den.

All through the winter until 1/14, the bear ate snow only twice, both times by reaching her head outside the den to take a bite or two of the snow on the ground.

On 1/14, things changed. She began eating snow at least once per day. She wiggled so that her head reached further outside the den, day by day.

Then, on 1/30, she was a restless bear. Her head was visible in the den entrance almost all day.

She ate snow many times. Twice, she walked outside the den. Each walk was only about 6-8 ft in distance but it was an odd departure from her behavior earlier in the winter.

On the night of 1/30, she seemed not to sleep. She looked outside the den, and seemed to toss and turn until our last video clip at around 11 PM. After that, she was deep in the den, and there were no visible movements to trigger the cams.

The next morning dawned with incredible winds. The tree holding the cams swayed in the wind, which triggered a cam to record video and audio. The audio told the story - cubs had been born, probably very early in the morning of 1/31!!!!!

You can watch the video here or at Youtube. Make sure that your sound is turned ON!!! The bawling of the cubs tells you the most exciting part of the story!

I don't know when we'll get to see the cubs for the first time. Their mom was impregnated last May or June. The cells divided a few times, and then remained in suspended animation as balls of cells. Because the sow was fat and healthy when she entered the den, the balls of cells implanted in the uterine wall and began to develop into cubs.

The cubs were about 1 pound in weight when they were born. They spend almost all their time latched onto a nipple, nursing. They bawl when they lose their grip on the nipple or are not covered by mom so they get cold.

The sow and cubs will undoubtedly stay near the den into the spring, until the cubs are mobile and can climb trees to flee predators. I'm incredibly excited about getting to watch the cubs via my cams this spring!

30 comments:

  1. Wow, that's so very cool and exciting! A new generation of bears. I have black bears here in my territory in NW Pennsylvania. Great video footage and thanks for sharing.
    Grr and Woof,
    Sarge, Police Commish

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  2. Amazing video! How lucky we are that you are sharing it. So thrilling it gives me gooseflesh.

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  3. So very exciting. We wish you could get a camera inside the den:) We can't wait to see the little ones.

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  4. That is so cool. Thank you for giving us a glimpse into nature

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  5. Oh KB!!!!
    We are soo excited about thus! And so happy for you that you were able to get this all on film!
    Thank you for sharing your joy with us!
    Oh we are so excited!
    love
    tweedles

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  6. That is totally awesome. Hailey and Phod perked right up when the babies were bawling. Thank you so much for sharing this and the facts about bear reproduction. I love your window into nature.

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  7. How serendipitous that the wind rocked the camera! :)

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  8. That sure is something and we'll be waiting to see the photos!

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  9. Your excited.......you cant even imagine how excited I am to watch this. Way to go girl. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  10. Wonderful news, she was so restless, eating snow, and then the cubs crying!! Well done to the Mum, and so many thanks for sharing what we would never get to know in our lifetime. I wonder how old they will be when we see them emerge.

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  11. Oh no, I couldn't see the video, but I will look forward to seeing future pictures of mama bear and her cubs.

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  12. OMDOMDOMD!!!! What sounds!! Thanks, KB. Made my day for sure!

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  13. How totally awesome to be able and watch all of this on video!!! Looking forward to seeing more this Spring!!

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  14. WOW WOW WOW WOW. That is so incredible. Thank you for sharing,.

    Blessings,
    Buddy

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  15. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! Well done mama bear!!!!! Well done KB for getting this wonderful video!
    hugs
    Mr Bailey Hazel & Mabel

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  16. Amazing!! I had goosebumps when the first cub bawled.

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  17. Love this....nature at its finest and so honored that you are sharing it with Blogville!! Can't wait to see and hear more from these Cubs. Thanks KB

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  18. We thought there might be cubs....very exciting. Can't wait to see them.

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  19. Oh wow! That's so cool! I can't wait until we get to see them!

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  20. How exciting! We can't wait till the cubs emerge from their den to play outside!

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  21. many thanks for this super video.. I sometimes feel like Indiana Jones while reading your posts... and isn't that great that I can be a great explorer and a hero that way without leaving my bed? :o)

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  22. How exciting! I can't wait to view the cubs too.

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  23. this is just tooooooooooo amazing for words.. the last bawling of the cubs sounds like human babies to me... wow and wow again

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  24. Wow, this is beyond cool! Can't wait to see those Cubs!

    Keep Calm and Bark On!

    Murphy and Stanley

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  25. OMD, how exciting!! I can't wait to see the cubs growing up!

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  26. How exciting to see your video and hear those cubs. When I was in the forest today, I thought maybe bears might be venturing outside their dens on the warm days we've been having. Hope all goes well for your bear family.

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  27. That's so amazing and exciting. Thanks again for all you do and share with us through your trail cameras.

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  28. How exciting! The cries of the cubs are just amazing - hopefully you will capture a glimpse very soon!!!!!

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  29. Yay! What joyful news, can't wait to see their debut.

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  30. Wow wow WOW! Saw the headline but only just got a chance to sit down with it (canines closer to home keeping me busy). I'm certainly no expert but they sounded just like human babies to me. I'm so happy for you KB!!

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Thanks for your comments!!!!!