Male bears then leave the females or sows and have nothing to do with them the rest of the year. The bear cubs are born in January or February while the sow is in her den. At birth, they weigh only 230 g and are almost hairless. They suckle and nestle into her long fur for warmth. One to five cubs can be born.
Females start to mate in their third year producing only one cub.
Sows then usually mate every other year producing two cubs. The mother bear often lies on her back or side to feed her cubs but sometimes sits on her haunches and holds her cubs on her lap much like a human mother. The cubs stay with their mother through a second summer. They are very playful and investigate everything. Male bears take five or six years to mature.