Playful bear cubs always make for an incredible sighting out in the wild. Mother bears can be very protective, but Judy Lehmberg was still able to get this footage of the two bears from Yellowstone National Park.
Small, cute, and chaotic, the two bears seemed to have set themselves the goal of climbing everything in sight, and they were well on their way to completing this challenge.
Maximum Mischief From The Very Beginning
The moment the bear cubs appear in Judy’s footage, they were causing chaos. One of them was dangling from a thin branch that could only just support its weight, and the other’s head was poking out from behind the tree.
In a matter of seconds, the first cub had managed to spin around the branch, and fall off, showing that it still had some improvements to do with its climbing ability.
Once it’s got a bit more practice, however, this cub will have no difficulties scaling trees in a matter of moments, just like its mother would be able to do, and like many other black bears which are particularly good at climbing.
Scaling Up The Practice
After falling off a small branch only a few feet above ground level, the next logical step could only be to practice scaling the thick trunk of another tree which happened to make a very good climbing frame.
One of the bear cubs had to take two tries at getting a foothold in the bark, but the other was up and away in moments, and its sibling soon followed suit, finding purchase in the trunk of the tree.
Despite their chaotic nature, these cubs clearly had some kind of self-preservation, as although they could have climbed higher, they both chose to return to the firm ground rapidly.
Tree Number Three
Free from the watchful eyes of their mother, it seemed that the cubs had made up their mind to explore the forest by climbing every tree they came across. As much as this was part of their games, it was also an opportunity for them to develop an important skill.
This tree had the perfect balance of being small enough for the two cubs to actually reach the top this time, but big enough that it could easily hold their weight, and make it easier for them to climb.
Both cubs attained the top of this tree together, and then fought for the right to remain there, pushing and biting playfully at each other in their attempts to dislodge their opponent and claim the tree as their own.
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There’s Never A Bad Time To Wrestle
While the lofty heights of low tree branches appealed to these two cubs, so too did the games that could be played with all four paws firmly on the ground.
Wrestling is a good way to pass the time, and for these young cubs its an invaluable source of exercise which helps them build muscle ready for when they live their adult lives.
Seeing cubs in the wild like this can be cute, but remember to be wary when encountering bears, do not behave threateningly, and back away slowly from the cubs and mother.