Growth
Polar Bears are born between November and January. They are born live as cubs in a den, weighing about 400-600 grams in weight and 30 centimetres long. During the time in which they stay with their mother they are helpless. They are blind for around the first month of their lives. By the time they are two months old, they will have begun to walk inside the den, their teeth will have erupted. By the time they leave their den in April, they weigh around 15 kilograms. Mother Polar Bears nurse their cubs for around 30 months, and during the first weeks of the cubs' lives they nurse most of the time. Polar Bear's nurse for between 20 and 30 months, gradually decreasing the number and length of nursing bouts. Once the cubs emerge from the den, they remain around that area for around 10 days, in order to adjust to the temperature and practise walking on ice. Once the mother is ready, the polar bears swim off to hunt for seals. It is around this time that they eat their first solid food, at around 4 months of age. The cubs grow quickly and by the time they are 8 months old they weigh more than 45 kg. The cubs learn to hunt by watching their mother. When the cubs are around 30 months old, the mother is ready to mate again, and a male may start following her. Once this happens, either the male or the mother will chase the cubs off.
After the cubs are weaned, the siblings may stay together for a short period of time. They will hunt and eat together. However, they eventually split up and wander off. During this period there is a high mortality rate. Much of the time during this stage of life, the sub-adults may be unable to hunt effectively and may be forced to scavenge from other polar bear kills.
By the time a female is 5 years old, she will have reached adult weight, and by the sixth year will be ready to mate. The male, however, will reach sexual maturity at around 6 years of age, however because of competition may not be able to mate until he is 8-10 years old. By the time he is 10, the male polar bear will be at adult weight.
Polar bears rarely live above the age of 25. By the time they reach this age, they begin to weaken. They eventually become too weak to hunt or scavenge for food, and will die of starvation.
After the cubs are weaned, the siblings may stay together for a short period of time. They will hunt and eat together. However, they eventually split up and wander off. During this period there is a high mortality rate. Much of the time during this stage of life, the sub-adults may be unable to hunt effectively and may be forced to scavenge from other polar bear kills.
By the time a female is 5 years old, she will have reached adult weight, and by the sixth year will be ready to mate. The male, however, will reach sexual maturity at around 6 years of age, however because of competition may not be able to mate until he is 8-10 years old. By the time he is 10, the male polar bear will be at adult weight.
Polar bears rarely live above the age of 25. By the time they reach this age, they begin to weaken. They eventually become too weak to hunt or scavenge for food, and will die of starvation.