Cheeky Cub Clings To Polar Bear Mom During His First Time In Snow

This is un-bear-ably cute.
Photographer, Daisy Gilardini, waited two weeks in the snow to capture this rare moment.
Photographer, Daisy Gilardini, waited two weeks in the snow to capture this rare moment.
DAISY GILARDINI/CATERS NEWS

What a bum!

When a mama polar bear decided to rush downhill in deep snow, her 4-month-old cub decided to hitch a ride … on her butt.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, polar bear cubs typically spend three or four months in a den before venturing out into the snow for the first time. Professional wildlife and nature photographer, Daisy Gilardini, waited for an incredible 117 hours to capture the rare moment when a furry family left their den to embark on the snowy tundra in Wapusk National Park, Canada, Caters News reported. The wait -- which involved suffering through gushing, 40-mile-per-hour winds -- paid off, however, when two cubs and their mom emerged presumably in search of food, and one cub did the unexpected.

"Despite the challenging conditions and the long hours waiting the experience to be witnessing something so rare is simply priceless," Gilardini told Caters News.
"Despite the challenging conditions and the long hours waiting the experience to be witnessing something so rare is simply priceless," Gilardini told Caters News.
DAISY GILARDINI/CATERS NEWS

He jumped up and gripped the back of his mom’s derrière.

“It was extremely funny and totally unexpected behavior,” Gilardini told Caters.

The priceless moment reminds one how important it is to preserve the population of this majestic animal.

“If humankind wants to survive and evolve with our planet, we have to act responsibly by acknowledging with humility that nature is not dependent on, but we are dependent on nature,” the photographer told Caters News.
“If humankind wants to survive and evolve with our planet, we have to act responsibly by acknowledging with humility that nature is not dependent on, but we are dependent on nature,” the photographer told Caters News.
DAISY GILARDINI/CATERS NEWS

According to Polar Bears International, an organization dedicated to saving the species that’s been listed as endangered since 2008, it’s not too late for the average person to help combat the polar bear’s demise.

Polar bears need sea ice in order to hunt for seals and other food in the ocean, but climate change has been melting the ice and they are spending more time on land, where food is scarce.

“There simply isn’t enough food to feed polar bears on land," Steven Amstrup, Polar Bears International chief scientist, told The Huffington Post in April.

The organization listed ways anyone can help the polar bears’ plight and some of the simple actions include walking or riding a bike rather than using a car for short trips, using energy-efficient appliances and not wasting food.

If you would like to donate to this cause, you can also check out World Wildlife Fund.

Because who can bear to live in a world without this species?

DAISY GILARDINI/CATERS NEWS
A polar bear cub decides to hitch a ride on mama’s rump at Wapusk National Park in Manitoba, Canada.
DAISY GILARDINI/CATERS NEWS
The 4-month-old baby bear must have had some really tired paws.
DAISY GILARDINI/CATERS NEWS
Photographer Daisy Gilardini captured the unique and funny experience.

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