Maternal Care and Cub Development in the Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) neonates are highly altricial, and in-den maternal care is required for cub survival and as follows, population health. Study of maternal denning polar bears in managed care can provide valuable insights on mother-cub dynamics. We reviewed video recordings of polar bears in maternal dens from three participating zoos to monitor maternal behavior and cub development. The study subjects included three polar bear mothers with a single cub. During a total of 366 observations, we collected behavioral data on both mother and cub during 30-min observation sessions spaced every 4 h for the first 30 days post-partum. We recorded mother-cub contact and individual behaviors for both the mother and cub. During the first ten days postpartum, cubs spent 60% of the time on their mother, usually in a cradled position, and this behavior decreased to 44% thereafter. Mothers and cubs spent most of the time resting, with mothers occasionally licking and attending to their cubs. Cubs spent approximately 12% of the time nursing. More replicates from ex situ populations will refine our understanding of how the denning environment, maternal care behavior and cub development are correlated with cub survival.