The first year of life for a Grizzly Bear is not an easy one. About 40% of Grizzly Cubs will never see their first birthday. Unfortunately, a fairly high cub mortality rate still continues even after that - until cubs are able to survive on their own. Sadly it is not unusual for many mothers to lose their entire litter of 2 to 3 cubs during the 2 1/2 to 3 years they are together. This may be why Mother Grizzlies have such a high instinct to protect their young. The mom in this photo was extremely protective of her babies. She would only come out into the meadow at dusk. Always on the alert, she also did her best to stay a long distance away from any other living creature - especially other bears. If she could see another bear, she would instantly run with the cubs in tow.

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Copyright 2008 Elizabeth Bickel