What’s a Baby Bear Called + 5 More Amazing Facts!

Baby bears are incredibly large creatures! Did you know the threatening apex predator loves to eat berries and fruit? How about that black bears may not always have black fur? Stick around to learn some amazing baby bear facts and see some adorable baby bear cub photos!

#1: A Baby Bear is Called a Cub!

When a baby bear is born, it’s called a cub. Cubs are born to sows, their adult mothers, and boars, their adult fathers. A group of baby bear cubs it’s called a litter, but a group of adult bears is called a sleuth or sloth. 

Cubs are called cubs until they’re about a year old. Then, they’re called yearlings. Yearlings stay with their mothers until they’re a year and a half to two years old. 

#2: Baby Black Bears are Not Always Black

Some black bear cubs are born with fur that doesn’t exactly match their name. Did you know a black bear’s fur can range from light blonde to blue-gray? 

The Kermode, a subspecies of black bear, is also known as the split bear due to its white fur, despite being a black bear. The spirit bear is located in Alaska and is nicknamed the spirit bear because it has ghostly white fur.

#3: Baby Bears are Tiny

Bear cubs are on average one pound at birth and can easily fit in the palm of your hand. By the time they’re 6 months old, they weigh about 6 pounds. 

As adults, though, they are extremely large. An adult male black bear weighs an average of 400 pounds and an adult female weighs around 200 pounds. In comparison to how large they get to be, bear cubs are tiny!

#4: There are Only 8 Species of Baby Bears

Unlike many other animals, there are only eight different types of bears. Here’s a quick rundown:

• North American Black bear
• Sun Bear
• Polar Bear
• Panda
• Sloth Bear
• Aisiatic or “Moon”  Bear
• Andean Bear
• Brown Bears 

Don’t worry, we didn’t forget one. The grizzly bear is a part of the brown bears! In fact, brown and black bears have many, many subspecies. 

#5: Asatic Bear Cubs Live in Trees

Asiatic bear cubs build nests in trees to sleep, hide, and even snack. Most bears live under rocks or in caves to make a den, however, this bear takes a different approach. 

Mother bears build nests in trees for themselves and for their babies, and the cubs grow up learning to survive while living in a tree. Some species even use trees as babysitters for their cubs. The mothers don’t go far and the cubs can alert their mother if they see the danger. 

#6: Sunbear Cubs Learn on the Go

Unlike most other species of bears, Sun Bear cubs are ready to go out with mom and start the journey as early as 2 months old! 

Sun Bears have several evolutionary advantages that make it possible for them to make their homes in the trees. For example, they have tiny, four-inch paws that make them nimble enough to balance on branches. Their paws are also free of hair, making it easier to gain traction.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Byrdyak