Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2018 - 57

P H O T O E S S AY

Story and photos by JON PHILLIPS OF J & G PHOTOS; FACEBOOK.COM/JANDGPHOTOS

These charmingly intimate views of a female black bear and her cubs-which are
born at a mere eight ounces-show the deep personal connection between mama
and her babies. In accordance with law and good practice, however, the images
were shot from a distance almost as long as a football field.

W

hat's it like to be a mother black bear in Great Smoky Mountains
National Park? Where does she go for sleep and to have her cubs?
And how does she care for them?
Well, her denning site is chosen with the coming of cold
weather, and are usually hollow stumps, tree cavities (some high
off the ground), ground dens, under fallen trees and roots.
Most dens are no warmer than the outside air because their
entrances are open. Some "dens" are simply nests on the ground surface.
Bears do not truly hibernate, but enter long periods of sleep. They may
leave the den for short periods if disturbed or during brief warming trends.
Newborn cubs are smaller, relative to their mother's size, than the young
of any other placental mammal. They are totally dependent on their
mothers. Newborn cubs have little fur, weigh less than eight ounces at
birth and can barely crawl. One to three cubs is the most common litter
size and the cubs are born during the mother's winter sleep, usually in
late January or early February.
Females with newly born cubs usually emerge from their winter
dens in late March or early April. Often born in pairs, the cubs will
remain with the mother for about 18 months or until she mates again.
Newborn cubs have mouths shaped for sucking, and milk is their
only food. The cubs do not hibernate. They have full metabolism
for maximum growth rate. They nurse frequently and for long
periods, making a motor-like hum that seems to tell mothers not
to change position because everything is good as is.
The mother's metabolism is slightly reduced during the
cold months, with a body temperature between 94 and 98 F,
compared with approximately 100 F in summer. Her body
temperature in the den is high enough for full mental function.
She dozes when the cubs do, but responds to every cry when
they are cold, hungry, or need to eliminate body wastes.
She keeps the cubs warm by hovering over them and
breathing on them with her head tucked under her chest.
Her hind and fore legs make furry walls. She helps the
cubs find her six nipples. She licks them to stimulate
defecation and eats the feces to recycle unabsorbed
nutrients and keep the den clean.
It was an honor to watch the consistently loving
and nurtruing care of this mother bear over a period
of six weeks-for the cubs, ages three months to
nine months.

This special image has mama bear cradling
all three of her precious cubs. She will
continue to have her paws full, raising,
feeding, protecting and teaching them for 18
months until they have a "family breakup."

JULY/AUGUST 2018

57
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Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2018

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