Photo of the Day
Polar bear with cub on her back
April 10, 2011
Polar Bear and Cub, Svalbard
This Month in Photo of the Day: Nature and Weather Photos
As we watched from our Zodiac, this polar bear gave her cub a lift as she swam across the fjord, shaking herself dry after emerging from the water with her cub hanging on. Polar bear cubs have been known to occasionally ride on the backs of their mothers as they swim together in Arctic waters, possibly to reduce exposure to cold.
(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2010 National Geographic Expeditions Photo Contest. The grand prize winner snapped the shot while traveling on the Land of the Polar Bears expedition.)
See more pictures of the Arctic and Antarctica »
See more pictures of polar bears »
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