Brooke Bartleson is a bear guide and a wilderness photo guide in Alaska. Possibly her best marketing material is some footage she recorded of a little brown bear cub “waving” as it tries to stay steady on its hind legs.
As the little bear tries to keep its balance, it wobbles back and forth and uses its arm to consistent itself. At the same time, it looks like it’s offering observers a wave. It’s the cutest wave ever, even if it’s not a genuine wave. (Because how would a bear understand what a wave is anyhow?)
Enjoy it here:
Bartleson states it’s “forever among the cutest minutes.” She discusses that bear cubs are quite unsteady for awhile as they learn how to be bears.
According to the National Forest Service (NPS), brown bear cubs are born “small and hairless.” They can weigh half a pound or less at birth.
Cubs stick with their mommies for about 2 years. Throughout this time, the mama teaches her cubs survival skills, like how to forage for food. Human infants normally find out how to wave around 9 months, but waving is not on the list of crucial survival skills for a bear.
The internet likes a good little bear wave, however. Who would not?
A wilderness photo guide in Alaska captured a little bear cub ‘waving’ as it attempts to keep its balance. View the adorableness here.