Polar Bear Cubs: Favorite Triplets

Shot at Wat'chee Lodge, 40 miles South of Hudson Bay, Churchill, Canada in March 2010 with the Canon 1Ds III, 800mm f/4 and 1.4x TC II

Polar bear moms only give birth to the number of babies that her body reserves can support. As a result, triplets are very rare and it's a real blessing to see them in the wild. I was lucky to see triplets on my first 3 visits to Wat'chee Lodge but after that was goose eggs. These triplets were magical to watch and each cub had so much personality. Normal March temps in this area are minus 50 degrees with up to 20 mph winds; but, this day was balmy and a sunny minus 15. This meant that it was better for the babies as well since they didn't have much insulation on their bodies or tiny feet. Mom took advantage of the nice weather and had already started the family's journey to Hudson Bay so that she could hunt for seals after not eating for 6 - 8 months. We found the family at a rest stop where Mom had dug out a protective day den. The lighting was gorgeous, the cubs were playful and animated, and it doesn't get much better than that.