Arctic

Polar Bear Sow & Cub (Ursus maritimus)

Alkefjellet, Lomfjordhalvøya,
Spitsbergen, Svalbard

This was a pitiful sight as we watched a female polar bear and her cub atop the high cliffs at Alkefjellet. These cliffs reach up to 100 meters. The sow appeared malnourished and looking for birds and eggs in order to produce milk for her cub. At times we feared the cub would fall as it attempted to follow its mother. Whether either made it to the winter when the ice would return is unknown. Image is heavily cropped since we were at such a distance, but I think it conveys the story.