There are usually two cubs to a litter one male and one female born in January or February. The cubs nurse for about two months and stay with their mother until the next breeding, which is usually about a year and a half after their birth. They can get along perfectly well on their own when they are about six months old. Cubs are produced every second year after the initial litter. The adults congregate during the mating season and then pair off to mate in seclusion.
Males play no role in raising the young, leaving the females soon after the mating.
Most bears live from 15 to 20 years in the wild. Bears in captivity often live much longer. A yearly event in the life of most bears is the winter rest. During the autumn season bears eat rather large amounts of food and seek out comfortable dens for a period of extended sleep that lasts from two to six months. Animals that sleep through the winter are said to hibernate.