North American Bears: Polar Bear Moms and Cubs, Wapusk National Park, Manitoba, Canada

These polar bear pictures are from Wapusk National Park. Wapusk is a polar bear habitat providing the largest denning area for polar bears in the world.

In November, pregnant polar bears dig a den up to ten feet below the snow's surface. There she will give birth to one to three polar bear cubs and will stay until her cubs are ready to travel to Hudson Bay in February or March. When the family leaves the den, they walk until the cubs are tired, then nurse and have a nap. When the cubs wake up, they tend to play a little bit, then continue on their journey. They continue this pattern until they reach Hudson Bay several days later. Here the mother can finally get a much deserved seal dinner after not eating for several months.

In February and March wildlife photographers gather at Wapusk National Park to take pictures of polar bears and cubs. I hope you enjoy these pictures of polar bear cubs. While we are taking pictures of these arctic polar bears, the temperature is -40 to-50 below zero, so these images of polar bears don't come easily.