Wider World for Sun Bear Cubs
Posted at 12:12 pm January 5, 2009 by Suzanne HallThings continue to go well in the den for sun bear Marcella and her twin cubs (see previous blog, Sun Bears: Growing Up Great). The youngsters are now nearly 2.5 months old and have grown by literal leaps and bounds. Their eyes have long since fully opened, and the cubs are able to take in the world around them. Now that they are becoming more mobile, they are able to interact with that world as well.
Two weeks ago I recorded the cubs crawling about on the den floor. They dragged their bellies as they pushed with their feet, not always moving about in a straight line. Often the early attempts at crawling resulted in a cub flipping over onto its back unceremoniously, squawking and squirming as it tried to right itself. Last week, I saw some of their first clumsy steps with their bellies held up off the floor. They stumbled and fumbled about, tripping over each other and the nesting material in the den. This week – look out! They are moving quickly around the den and clearing a full adult body length of distance in mere seconds.
Along with this burgeoning motor development comes rapid cognitive leaps. Last week I saw the first signs of social play from the cubs. One would paw or bite at its mother or sibling, and at times Marcella would respond with very gentle nipping or nudging. Today I witnessed the cubs playing with each other for a few moments before getting distracted by other things in their environment. But what could be more enticing than a playmate?
The mouth of the den, that’s what! Beyond the entrance to the dark, warm cave they have always called home lay the big wide world, and the bright lights and noises coming from the mouth of the den are calling to the cubs. Today, they kept wandering to the den opening, standing at the threshold, peering about the adjoining bedroom. Marcella, for her part, isn’t ready for her babies to be so grown up: she repeatedly pulled them back from the den entrance and into the dark recesses of their shelter. As soon as she let go, they would race back to the mouth and stare out. Again and again she pulled them back as they howled and squawked their protests. Finally, she enticed them with a nursing session and they fell asleep against her warm body.
You dodged the bullet this time, Marcella, but the cubs won’t let you get away with it for long. Soon these babies will be charging about the bedrooms and stealing your food. With any luck they will enjoying playing with each other more than tormenting you with their firm bites to your toes and ears.
Suzanne Hall is a senior research techinican at the San Diego Zoo.
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January 5th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
I can’t wait to meet these little ones.
Suzanne, I’ve read that Ueno Zoo’s black bear “Ku” (pronoused “koo”) was rconfirmed to be in hibernation again just before Christmas. Are you monitoring her this year too?
January 5th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Thanks, Suzanne, for the updated information. Many of us zoo regulars are eagerly awaiting the debut of the new cubs. It’s wonderful that they seem so healthy and intelligent. Are you still guessing a boy and a girl? When might staff finally be able to examine the cubs? Dad is often seen pacing outside the birthing den. He’s apparently pretty anxious to see them, and Marcella of course, too!
January 6th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Thanks, Suzanne, sounds like Marcella has her paws full of twin cubs. Will Dad be involved with them at all, since he is pacing outside the birthing den? Or, is he just reacting to the sounds and smell coming from their direction? I think you wrote previously that cubs are raised by their mother, with no involvement of the father.
We look forward to hearing more about their adventures as they finally are “allowed” by Marcella to go out into the world and explore. For now she sounds like she is quite content to keep them confined where she has more control.
January 6th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
We have sun bears at the Ft Worth Zoo and they have always been a favorite with my husband & me. I think ours are the Malayan subspecies. Well, since we have not yet been blessed with twin panda cubs in the U.S, I find these twin sun bear cubs to be especially exciting. Too bad we do not have a webcam to watch their progress as we do with panda cubs. I certainly hope that when the twins make their public debut, you will remember all us far-flung bear fans and post a video clip for us to enjoy. I really enjoyed the one with the tiger cubs playing with their Halloween pumpkins. Thanks for the update, Suzanne.
January 8th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Twins are a lot of work for ANY MOTHER! I bet they are adorable. marcella sounds like she is a devoted mother and very watchful over her babies.
Sure wish that we were locals and could visit your zoo whenever we wanted to. I would surely have an annual ticket! thanks for the up-date! I can’t believe that they are 2 1/2 mos. old already. time sure does fly!
January 9th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Sayuri #1,
We aren’t following the black bears at Ueno, but we do have a cooperative research agreement in which we monitor Asiatic blacks at the Ani Bear Park in Japan.
Margaret #3,
At our Zoo, the male will not be placed with his cubs. In some zoos in Europe, managers have successfully reintroduced a male to his breeding partner and female offspring just prior to weaning age for the cub, and the three have lived harmoniously together!