At what age do polar bears breed?
Most males begin to breed at about eight-to-ten years of age. Females reach reproductive maturity from four-to-six years of age and typically have litters of one or two cubs.
How many babies can a polar bear have?
Litter size is most commonly two cubs, but sometimes litters can be one, three, or, very rarely, four cubs. Female polar bears in the Hudson Bay area spend remarkable periods of time fasting, the longest known of any mammal species.
How old are polar bears when they have babies?
Female polar bears are able to have babies at the age of four and five while the male polar bears reach maturity at age six. When the polar bears are adult the male weighs up to 900 pounds while the female weighs between 300 and 600 pounds.
How long do polar bear cubs stay with their mothers?
Mother polar bears nurse their cubs for as long as 30 months. Some cubs stop nursing as young as 18 months of age, but remain with their mothers for survival until they are 30 months old. The average fat content of polar bear milk is 33%, similar to the milkfat of other marine mammals.
When do polar bears start looking for mates?
Male polar bears get sexually matured between the ages of 6 to 10 years while the female polar bears between the ages of 4 to 6 years. Male polar bears start looking for mates from April to June when snow melts down and days are longer. They find female polar bears by following their scented foot trails.
How much weight does a polar bear gain during pregnancy?
This has been confirmed by physical characteristics of some offspring as well as DNA testing. It is believed this occurs on a very limited basis though. The females generally gain between 400 and 500 pounds during their pregnancy.
How long do polar bears live with their mother?
The polar bear cubs leave their mothers 2 – 3 years after their birth. They will now live their own and have to avoid any adult male that can possible kill them anytime. If they get close to male bears they attack and eat the cubs.
How long is the gestation period of polar bears?
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 will be the first time the new cubs will.
What is the lifespan of a polar bear?
While short by our standards, polar bears are considered long-lived animals. In the wild, polar bears live an average 15 to 18 years, although biologists have tagged a few bears in their early 30s. In captivity, some long-lived bears reach their mid- to late 30s. Debby, a captive bear in Canada, lived to be 42.
How long do polar bears take to reproduce?
Like other predators at the top of the food chain, polar bears have a low reproductive rate. One or two cubs are born in midwinter and stay with their mother for two years. Consequently, females breed only every three years. The bears don’t reproduce until they are five or six years old.
