Polar Bear cubs rejected by mom get new lease on life with surrogate human moms

Mother nature can be absolutely brutal, and this harsh reality often breeds resilient evolutionary specimens. This is why many nature documentary filmmakers take a "hands-off" approach to capture the raw trials animals face. In contrast, animal sanctuaries and zoos step in to support creatures, especially endangered ones, in times of need.

The polar bear population is decreasing, making them a vulnerable species. Four cubs born in captivity now need human "mothers" after their mom rejected them at birth.

According to VioVet, there are several reasons why mothers reject their babies at birth. Sometimes, large mammals do so because they lack the means to nurse their offspring.

If a baby is born with a defect or weakness, mothers may abandon it to focus on stronger offspring. Animal abandonment in captivity is studied to better understand postpartum depression in humans.

It could be argued that baby abandonment rates are higher in captivity due to increased levels of depression in zoo animals.

Regardless of why this polar bear mom rejected her babies, the Gelendzhik Safari Park quickly stepped in to care for them.

Four human surrogate moms fed the babies warm milk and gave them massages, providing constant care 24/7.

The little fuzzballs also received manicures and are maturing quickly, which is typical for arctic-dwelling mammals. They have an average lifespan of 15-20 years.

Breeding polar bears in captivity is notoriously difficult, yet the cubs' mother conceived and built a den before their birth. However, she abandoned them at birth without attempting to harm them, unlike some other animals in captivity.

These four polar bears will likely spend their lives in captivity at the park. Currently, their caretakers say the cubs are too young to differentiate between them, "They know the scent of our skin and clothes, and sensing any of us getting close to them means just one thing: mother is here, and food is coming."

As cute and cuddly as the photographs are, there's a very real worry about the bears' future.

"There were no previous cases of nurturing polar bear cubs rejected by their mother in a Russian zoo. This is the first experience for us. In the world, there were only five or so cases of polar bear cubs raised since birth in captivity. I do hope that we will succeed," said Yelena Milovidova, deputy director of the Gelendzhik Safari Park, as per the Daily Mail.

The zoo team tried to get the mother to nurse the babies, but all attempts failed. The cubs are eating and have just opened their eyes. They will double in weight approximately every two weeks.

This article was originally published on January 18, 2021. It has since been updated.