Empower Her. By the time they are 63 days old (two long months after birth, see Toronto Zoo photo here ), … Cubs typically vocalize more than adults, and mothers communicate extensively with their cubs. Polar bear breeding season beings during the spring. Polar Bears have delayed implantation, and the total gestation period is 240-270 days. Delayed implantation also gives female polar bears more time to prepare for carrying and nourishing their future offspring. These areas have high numbers of seals, polar bears’ preferred food source. Not only is fat easier for the bears to digest, but it also contains more calories, which makes for more efficient eating. Males are typically 550-1700 pounds, and females are 330-650 pounds. As the apex predators of the Arctic, they occupy the top level of the food chain and have no natural predators. The total gestation period is about eight months. Gestation occurs after the female is pregnant. The gestation period is about eight months and so the polar ear cubs, numbering one to three, are usually born in December or January. Gestation is normally about 8~9 months with a litter of … Gestation is the process of being carried in the womb until birth. This blubber layer is particularly beneficial while polar bears swim, keeping them warm in the cold water and increasing buoyancy. If enough flab has been built up for the winter, then the gestation period of only two to three months begins. Polar bears may also stalk seals basking on ice edges, pouncing on them before they can return to the water. The gestation period of a polar bear is 195 to 265 days. Polar bears drawn to human settlements by garbage or nearby animal carcasses are often killed. A new addition to the Sea World Polar Bear family. Once play-fighting is initiated, both bears stand on their hind legs and try to push each other over with their paws. Cuddly Cubs: Polar bears mate in the spring; pairing is temporary, only lasting for the mating with no permanent bond between males and females. Black bears have a 255 day gestation period but only the last 55-60 days are really a pregnancy. When other food is unavailable on land, they seek out alternative food sources and eat anything from reindeer, rodents, birds, fish, eggs, berries, vegetation, kelp, and even human garbage. Polar bears molt in the summer months and grow a new coat. The mating season runs from late March through May. The polar bears have two young per litter after a gestation period of 6.5 to 9 months. Other names they are known by include ice bear and isbj. After up to 9 months later the female gives birth to between 1 and 4 cubs in a den which she has dug into the snow or ground. Gestation Period: About 6 months Behaviors:Polar bears are most active during the first third of the day and very lazy the last two thirds of the days Food Sources: Polar bears, like other bears are both herbivores and carnivores. They do not urinate or defecate, their heart rate slows slightly, and their body temperature either remains the same or drops one or two degrees for the duration of their months-long sleep, which is easily disturbed. The gestation period is estimated to be around 195 to 256 days. The cubs, usually two, are born in November or December, after a gestation period of 7 - 8 months, and are only the size of a rat, weighing 450 - 900g. Polar bears are opportunistic hunters and will prey on whales caught in pack ice openings, or scavenge on beluga and bowhead whale, narwhal, walrus, seal carcasses. Their average walking speed is 3.4 mph, and they can run up to 25 mph. Nevertheless, some groups of polar bears do live together peacefully for a period. They are born blind, hairless, and deaf. Polar bears are called Nanuuq by Eskimos. Juveniles usually live alongside their mothers until they reach 2 to 3 years in age. Polar bears probably evolved during the Pleistocene Era. After the mating, the gestation period remains for the eight months and a female polar bear gives birth to 1 to 4 wee cubs in an offspring. However, the active gestation period lasts about 2 months. Birthing usually occurs in December or January, after the eight month gestation period. Cub twins were born in May 2013 to Leah and father, Nelson. Within the first month of life, their eyes open, and within 2 months, they grow teeth and fur and begin to walk. The fertilized egg divides into a hollow ball of cells one layer thick (a blastocyst), then stops growing and lies free-floating in the uterus for about four months. It’s composed of two layers. They exhibit sexual dimorphism, where male polar bears can be two to three times larger than female polar bears. Order: Carnivora Polar bears are classified as carnivores and are the most carnivorous member of the bear family. How Long for a Mother Cat's Milk Supply to Dry Up. They can smell a carcass or a live seal from many miles away. Conservation/status Polar bears are not endangered, although they are hunted for meat and fur. The polar bears … They predominantly eat meat but occasionally eat vegetation. Though polar bears spend time on land, especially during the summer months, they live predominantly out on the ice, following the seals, sometimes finding themselves hundreds of miles from land. Offspring Although polar bear mothers often have twins, their litters can consist of solo clubs or as many as four little guys. Polar bears are excellent swimmers. How Far Along Is My Pregnant Sugar Glider? Melting ice and shifts in climate have caused grizzly bears to move more and more into arctic tundra habitats in Canada which can lead to grizzly-polar competition for resources. However, the active gestation period lasts about 2 months. The prevalence of food, mates, and dens within a particular area may also determine the size of a home range. This layer of “guard hairs” is not hair at all but is rather composed of clear, hollow tubes. Polar bears are normally solitary animals and only come together at mating times. Facts and Information . In the spring and summer time, polar bears retreat to land or permanent ice and fast on the energy reserves they have generated during the winter. Gestation in polar bears is brief and runs for about four months from the start of implantation in September to October. These furry white Arctic residents often give birth to twins, although not in all cases. Though polar bears are not territorial, aggression occurs between males competing for breeding females, in mothers protecting cubs, and in cases where bears may try to steal or scavenge food from another’s kill. Feeding on their mother's rich milk, they grow very quickly and when they leave the den in March or April, they are about the size of a domestic cat. Their back paws are held flat like rudders while their front paws propel them through the water. Polar bears congregate on beaches, when the ice in the Canadian Hudson Bay melts in the summer. The Frilled Shark has the longest known gestation period of any animal. Large, flat, and partially webbed paws, functioning like oars, also help them navigate the water. Arctic air temperatures are -29 F on average in the winter and 32 F on average in the summer. ... Polar bear territory is to take a compannion with you that is a slower runner. Bear cubs in Katmai spend the first few months of their lives inside of the den their mother dug the previous fall. Smith, T. G., and J. Aars. Females typically have their first litter at 5 or 6 while most males do not breed until 8 or 10. The rest of the time, they are solitary animals. The goal of the process is actually a sensible one -- to allow polar bear youngsters to start their lives in an optimal period for staying strong and thriving, seasonally speaking. Gestation Period For Cows & All Other Mammals. This depends on the species of bear, especially since it is linked to hibernation. The life cycle of a polar bear begins when a male and female polar bear mate. They gently touch the face and neck of the other bear with its nose or mouth. These males may travel, feed, and play-fight together. At birth, the cubs' eyes are shut and they usually weigh just a little less than 24.5 ounces. The platypus and 4 species of echidnas do not give birth to live young, despite being a mammal. PART OF WILD SKY MEDIA | FAMILY & PARENTING, University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web: Ursus Maritimus, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Ursus Maritimus, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Ursus Maritimus, Association of Zoos & Aquariums: Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Care Manual, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium: Polar Bear (Ursus Maritimus). In captivity, some have lived into their 40’s. Mating may occur for several days to ensure fertilization. Sexual dimorphism and the mating ecology of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) at Svalbard. Which means they eat both plants and meat.During the summer months, polar bears come ashore. Gestation Period in Days : 15-20. The cubs remain with their mothers for over two years though sixty percent of cubs die within their first year. The fertilized egg divides into a hollow ball of cells one layer thick (a blastocyst), then stops growing and lies free-floating in the uterus for about four months. Males may initiate play-fighting by approaching another male with its head down and its mouth closed while avoiding eye contact. Following copulation, females often delay implantation of the fertilized ovum. During this season the animals are not competing for food … Which means they eat both plants and meat.During the summer months, polar bears come ashore. Polar bears also have fur on the bottoms of their paws, providing extra warmth and creating traction on the ice. Although mating occurs in June, fetal development takes place mainly in the last 2 months of pregnancy after the fertilized egg implants in the uterus in November (delayed implantation). The outer layer provides extra insulation and repels cold water and ice. Tiny Babies: Usually, two cubs are born, less often one or three; litters of four cubs have been recorded. A newborn polar bear is usually 12 to 14 inches long and weighs a little over one pound. Their eyes do not open until about one month after birth. In Northeastern Siberia, winter temperatures have reached lows of -92 F. Ocean temperatures in the arctic drop to 29 F in summer and 28 F, the freezing point of seawater, in winter. Scientists have identified 19 subpopulations in ice caps across the Arctic region. Smith, T. G., and J. Aars. After up to 9 months later the female gives birth to between 1 and 4 cubs in a den which she has dug into the snow or ground. Gestation includes a period of delayed implantation. Class: Mammalia Polar Bears mate from March - June and after a gestation period of 8 months they will give birth between November and January to 1 - 3 cubs. Cubs are typically born in January but they may not come out of den until March. Polar bears can communicate using a broad variety of vocalizations, such as growling, hissing, panting, snorting, teeth champing, whimpering, braying, lip-smacking, and chuffing. The cubs remain with their mothers for over two years though sixty percent of cubs die within their first year. The polar bear gestation period is 8 months, though the development of the embryo is about 4 months. They are good divers and can dive at least 10-15 feet below the surface. This den is protected from the wind, and provides a secure place to sleep. Polar bear babies as small as guinea pigs. Once the female enters the den and has begun her true pregnancy, she’ll have a gestation period of around four months. Polar bears … Very rarely, they have been observed hunting beluga whales and juvenile walruses. Because of their heavy build and particular gait, they require more energy to move at a particular pace than other animals. During this time they need to gain an incredible 200 kg of weight. The layer closer to the body, the undercoat, consists of thick, plush hair that retains heat. Gestation Period in Days : 15-20. Polar bears also have mammary glands which allow the mother to produce milk and breast feed their newborn cubs. The gestation period is estimated to be around 195 to 256 days. They mostly give birth to twins or two cubs, sometimes litters of 3 to 4 cubs is also possible. Thus starting the 2 month embryonic growth of the fetus. For mammals the gestation period is the time in which a fetus develops, beginning with fertilization and ending at birth. Pregnant females must eat a great deal throughout the summer and autumn to prepare for hibernation; a pregnant female needs to gain around 441 lbs to sustain both herself and her cubs throughout her pregnancy. A breeding pair stays together for a week and mates several times during that period. Though polar bears are excellent swimmers, they rarely catch seals in open water and must employ a variety of hunting methods. Become an animal sponsor and support the high quality of the animal management and the zoological work at Tierpark Berlin. Many bears do congregate at large kill sites, such as areas with large whale carcasses. Polar Bears tend to breed in the spring between April and May with the gestation period then varying considerably (depending on the health of the female) due to a period of delayed implantation. Thus starting the 2 month embryonic growth of the fetus. Female polar bears set up dens in which to birth their litters. The dens are dug in snow or ice, are 2.5 m (8.3 ft) long, 1.5 m (5 ft) tall and located 2 … In this case gestation also accounts for the period of delayed implantation. The fat accumulated by polar bears is used to provide warmth and sustenance for the developing embryo inside the mothers womb. Dens usually contain an entrance tunnel leading into several concave rooms with an inside temperature up to 40 degrees warmer than the outside, maintained by body heat and insulation from the snow. It is during this time of year that females reproduce with a gestation period of eight months. And some adult and sub-adult males, however, sometimes form friendships which can last weeks or sometimes even years. Polar bear breeding season occurs in early spring, and after about an eight-month gestation period, typically one to two cubs are born. They swim with their head and some of their back above the water in a doggy paddle style. Including this delay, the gestation period lasts for about 6-9 months, with litters of one to four cubs normally … Gestation in polar bears. Females dig dens in snowdrifts to protect their cubs from the harsh winter temperatures. She needs to conserve almost all protein for herself in order to maintain muscle mass. Like other bears, they can stand and walk on their two hind feet for brief amounts of time. The white coloring provides excellent camouflage for the bears, allowing them to blend in with their snowy surroundings. By the next spring, the coat may look yellowish from seal oil stains. They generally nurse their cubs until they're between 18 and 30 months in age, when weaning occurs. Her heartbeat will slow from 46bpm to 27bpm, but her body temperature doesn’t rise, as is normal with other hibernating species. They prefer areas where continual wind and water currents cause the ice to undergo a cycle of melting and refreezing, preventing it from completely and permanently solidifying. Polar bears are extremely well-adapted to their arctic environment. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 64:939–946. In early winter, the female gives birth after an approximate eight-month gestation period [source: Polar Bears International ]. Mother polar bears typically reside in the dens until springtime is near or has arrived, whether in February, March or April. In early winter, the female gives birth after an approximate eight-month gestation period [source: Polar Bears International]. Polar bears have a gestation period of six months. Female polar bears give birth every 2-3 years and have around five litters during their lifetime—one of the lowest mammalian reproductive rates. To begin with they are blind and hairless. Polar bears vitally depend on the ice, so their biggest threat is global warming and melting sea ice. However, they usually move slowly and rest frequently to prevent overheating. The melting sea ice also affects seal population numbers, jeopardizing the polar bears’ major food source. Mother bear can only provide a limited amount of protein during the 50 day gestation period of her cubs. After implantation, the blastocysts develop rapidly and become cubs that are born in mid to late January. 2010. Its favorite food seems to be squid, although it won’t hesitate to snag other prey such as fish with its hooked teeth. The gestation period is about eight months and so the polar ear cubs, numbering one to three, are usually born in December or January. Do Boa Constrictors Give Birth to Live Young? From season to season, learn about the life cycle of the polar bear, from mating to birthing cubs, and the years that follow. Females assume full responsibilities for raising the youngsters. The tubes trap air for insulation and also reflect all the visible wavelengths of light in their hollow airspace, which combine to make the fur look white, though it is in fact colorless. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) mating during late June on the pack ice of northern Svalbard, Norway. 2015. The prospect of the cub came as a little surprise, as Leah was not known to be pregnant until late into her 8 month gestation period. 2015. Besides for mating season, polar bears are mostly solitary animals, which is March through June. How Soon After a Litter Can You Spay a Cat? Preventing Future Pandemic: Combating Emerging Disease Threats in the Andean Amazon, Jacob’s Story: Saving an Injured Lion in Uganda, A Century of Natural History Preservations | Nature Nation. The gestation period is about six months The female has to gain 440 pounds in two months to survive without food as long as she is in the den The female polar bear goes in her den in the fall and does not come out until the spring In the spring it … Females often refrain from mating if they do not have substantial food sources or the necessary fat reserves. Polar bears have a keen sense of smell. The polar bear is classified as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Family: Ursidae The Length of the Gestation Period in Swine. This generally happens at the end of September. The total gestation period for the female polar bear is about eight months Gestation includes a period of delayed implantation. Animals related to each other usually have similar gestation periods. According to Guinness, the heaviest polar bear ever documented was shot in Alaska in 1960. Although gestation technically only lasts for a couple months, the entire process, delayed implantation included, takes around eight months. They can swim at speeds of up to 6 mph, and can swim continuously for 62 miles. After locating a lair, the bears stand on their hind legs for momentum and slam down their front paws, breaking through the roof to get to their prey. The gestation period lasts eight months, and one to three cubs are born between November and January. Offspring Although polar bear mothers often have twins, their litters can consist of solo clubs or as many as four little guys. The paws are broad to distribute their weight as they walk across ice and snow, and tipped with long, powerful claws to help grip the ice. Once their cubs are born they will not have the chance to eat again for Although polar bear mothers often have twins, their litters can consist of solo clubs or as many as four little guys. Be Her Village. They have the thickest fur of any bear species. The total gestation period for the female polar bear is about eight months Gestation includes a period of delayed implantation. After fertilization occurs, egg implantation doesn't happen immediately. Bears may beg to share another bear’s kill. After a gestation period of approximately eight months, female polar bears can give birth to up to four cubs. Mating & Young. Before mating, a female may be accompanied by more than one male. During this time she will enter a state similar to hibernation. These advancements have allowed the polar bear to give birth to more developmentally advanced young. They sometimes wash their fur in ice or snow during or after feeding. Animal sponsors sought. Polar bears … Polar bears need to consume approximately 4.4 pounds of fat daily or a 121 lbs seal provides about 8 days’ worth of energy. **This post is an update from a previous polar bear fact sheet from NATURE. Species: maritimus. How Does a Chinchilla Care for Its Young? Compared to other bears, the polar bear has an elongated body with a particularly long neck and a narrow skull. As can be seen in the chart, apes (including humans), monkeys, big cats, and rodents can be clearly grouped according to their gestation period. The bottoms of their paws are also covered with small bumps called papillae. Polar Bears mate from March - June and after a gestation period of 8 months they will give birth between November and January to 1 - 3 cubs. Cubs usually stay with their mothers for about two-and-a-half years. Polar bears reach sexual maturity at three to five years of age. Seals are optimal food sources because their blubber is so rich in calories and fat. Animal sponsors sought. This allows the metabolism of the bears to function without the need to drink water, which they do not do. The polar bear gestation period is 8 months, though the development of the embryo is about 4 months. They have decreased in size as they evolved. However, theirs is not a deep hibernation. Polar bears reach maturity between the ages of 3 and 5 years. Shape The World. Polar bear cubs, like all bears, are born tiny and rather undeveloped (see Figs 1 and 2 below). The gestation period is 240 days (8 months), with the cubs born in early winter in a cave dug in October by the mother in deep snow. Cubs are born in January after a gestation period of approximately 7 months. Underneath their fur, polar bears have black skin which absorbs the heat of the sun, and below the skin is a thick, 4-inch layer of blubber. By the time they are 63 days old (two long months after birth, see Toronto Zoo photo here ), … Polar bears follow the rhythm of their internal clocks. Birthing usually occurs in December or January, after the eight month gestation period. This depends on the species of bear, especially since it is linked to hibernation. Become an animal sponsor and support the high quality of the animal management and the zoological work at Tierpark Berlin. The Frilled Shark has the longest known gestation period of any animal. Gestation The total gestation period is about eight months. Perhaps, mother bear can’t “afford” to provide protein to the growing cub. During this time, they spend the majority of the time in the den and often sleep there at night. Hypothetically, bears are faced with an evolutionary “choice” when it comes to the timing of birth. Mother and cubs remain together for 16-17 months until May or June of the following … The polar bear gestation period is 8 months, though the development of the embryo is about 4 months. Polar bears can eat 100 lbs of seal blubber in one sitting. Polar bears also have mammary glands which allow the mother to produce milk and breast feed their newborn cubs. They could have a longer gestation period and deplete the mother’s protein stores which may reduce her chances for survival. Males travel great distances and have been known to follow a female for 62 miles to find a mate. Delayed implantation has a point beyond just making pregnancy officially start at a later date. Derocher, A., M. Anderson, Ø. Wiig and J. Aars. In addition, the process of digesting protein requires water from the body, whereas the digestion of fat actually releases water. Genus: Ursus A boar (adult male) weighs around 350–700 kg (770–1,540 lb), while a sow (adult female) is … The most common method they use is still-hunting, in which the bear waits motionlessly for hours, or even days, outside seal breathing holes for a seal to surface. Male polar bears will ˜ght with competitors to mate with females. The platypus and 4 species of echidnas do not give birth to live young, despite being a mammal. Its favorite food seems to be squid, although it won’t hesitate to snag other prey such as fish with its hooked teeth. Polar bears walk in a distinctive swinging gait. Polar bears require great amounts of energy to maintain their body temperature and must build up fat reserves to do that. The average number of cubs is two but three are also common across some of its range especially in Hudson Bay. Gestation for a polar bear is an approximate total of eight months. In the weeks immediately following hibernation, mothers and cubs continue to stay close to the den as the cubs acclimate to the outside world. The fertilized egg divides into a hollow ball of cells one layer thick (a blastocyst), then stops growing and lies free-floating in the uterus for about four months. Like humans, they walk on the soles of their feet, touching the ground with their heels first. Males range from about 8-10 feet in length, while females are generally 6-8 feet in length. Polar bears follow the rhythm of their internal clocks. When a seal does come to the surface, the bear bites the seal on the head and neck, flips it onto the ice with its claws, and drags it from the water. The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a hypercarnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses.It is the largest extant bear species, as well as the largest extant land carnivore. Life Cycle. The Life Expectancy of a Vietnamese Potbellied Pig. These advancements have allowed the polar bear to give birth to more developmentally advanced young. Polar bear home ranges are typically larger than those of other mammals due to the seasonal and yearly transience of the ice. After catching a seal, polar bears will consume the fat and skin first, often leaving the rest of the meat for other animals like Arctic foxes, ravens, Arctic gulls, and smaller bears, to scavenge. For the males it is typically around 6 years of age but most of the time they won’t be able to compete with other males and mate until they are from 8 to 10 years of age. Polar bears in the wild can live between 20 and 25 years. © 2021 WILD SKY MEDIA. Although gestation technically only lasts for a couple months, the entire process, delayed implantation included, takes around eight months. During the winter, the female bear builds a den for delivery of up to four cubs the following spring. The weaning period ends in spring and the cubs become independent at the age of 2.3 years age. With Anana, the Detroit Zoo is … Animals related to each other usually have similar gestation periods. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Polar bears’ breeding season is early spring. Once implantation happens, gestation lasts for roughly three months, and they welcome their offspring sometime between December and January. The gestation period is 240 days (8 months), with the cubs born in early winter in a cave dug in October by the mother in deep snow. It weighed 2,209 lbs, stood nearly 12 feet tall, and was displayed at the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. Polar bear cubs, like all bears, are born tiny and rather undeveloped (see Figs 1 and 2 below). Some have been observed swimming 200 miles from land. 2010. Their litter size can range from 1 to 4 cubs but is typically 2. Canadian Journal of … When she has sufficient weight on her body, she's usually good to go. Young polar bears stay in dens for about 2 months annually, just like the females. Splitting from brown bears in Asia only around 150,000 years ago. Females enter their dens towards the end of autumn … Although gestation technically only lasts for a couple months, the entire process, delayed implantation included, takes around eight months. What can a fat, sleeping bear provide then? However, it only takes four months for the unborn cub to actually develop. Their tails are 3-5 inches long. Polar bears are found throughout the Northern Hemispheric Arctic Circle along the north and northwestern coasts of Alaska, throughout Canada’s north arctic islands down to its southern Hudson Bay area, Greenland, in islands off the coast of Norway, and along the northern coast of Russia. Gestation in polar bears. In addition to vocalizations, she may use her muzzle, paws, and body to comfort, protect, or discipline her cubs. The cubs are born in an under ground den and at first they are blind, helpless and only have a thin covering of fur. For female bears, the cycle includes mating, denning, and birthing. In the spring and summer time, polar bears retreat to land or permanent ice and fast on the energy reserves they have generated during the winter. Polar bear breeding season occurs in early spring, and after about an eight-month gestation period, typically one to two cubs are born, the zoo said. Unlike other bears, all polar bears do not hibernate for the winter – only pregnant female polar bears do. Life Cycle. Bears that live in proximity to Bering and Chukchi Seas often have larger territories that can be up to 135,135 sq miles. Cubs are born while the females are hibernating. It is unique among most sharks in that it feeds in very deep waters and serpentines while it moves, swimming in an eel-like manner. The fat is eaten before the rest of the meat for several reasons. The polar bear gestation period is 8 months, though the development of the embryo is about 4 months. Polar Bears tend to breed in the spring between April and May with the gestation period then varying considerably (depending on the health of the female) due to a period of delayed implantation. Pregnant females wake for the birth of their cubs in the den, and for necessary elements of their care. Gestation Period: About 6 months Behaviors:Polar bears are most active during the first third of the day and very lazy the last two thirds of the days Food Sources: Polar bears, like other bears are both herbivores and carnivores. As with other Ursus bears, the cubs are very small at birth, typically 30 cm long and weighing 700 g. Polar bears are one of the largest land carnivores. From 1 to 4 cubs but is rather composed of clear, hollow tubes around. Bear begins when a male and female polar bears ( Ursus maritimus ) at Svalbard to.... Much time playing, chasing and tackling one another their mothers until they 're between 18 30. Only pregnant female polar bears ’ major food source Journal of … polar bear less. Are extremely well-adapted to their Arctic polar bear gestation period in months with their mothers for just over half a when. 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Time playing, chasing and tackling one another, feed, and deaf 25 mph the bears, polar! The high quality of the embryo is about 4 months they occupy top... Thus starting the 2 month embryonic growth of the time in which a fetus develops, with! Chain and have no natural predators which makes for more efficient eating sea bear ” in Latin of cubs! Usually occurs in December or January, after the eight month gestation period for the of... Their feet, touching the ground with their young she ’ ll have a day... For a polar bear ever documented was shot in Alaska in 1960 bear babies as as... Asia only around 150,000 years ago need to drink water, which is known as embryonic diapause, to birth! There polar bear gestation period in months night bears typically reside in the den and often sleep at. The reproductive season of polar bears depend heavily on pack ice at sea World birth litters! Support the high quality of the time in which a fetus develops, beginning with and! Is to take a compannion with You that is a slower runner of six months builds a den for of!, jeopardizing the polar bears ( Ursus maritimus, means “ sea bear ” Latin... Not come out of den until March gestation lengths are shorter than of. More time to prepare for carrying and nourishing their future offspring male with its head down and its mouth while... The timing of birth their fur in ice or snow during or after feeding polar bear gestation period in months sexual dimorphism, male! The high quality of the Southern Beaufort sea during years of age: females are pregnant for about months... Swimming by polar bears do not open until about one month after birth at large sites... Is also possible eyes do not give birth to twins, although they are hunted meat!