Polar Bear Cub takes first wobbly steps

The Polar Bear Cub born at Sea World is progressing well and has begun to take its first wobbly steps inside the den at the world-class Polar Bear Shores.

The nearly two-month old cub's strength has developed to a stage where it can get to its feet and start exploring the den under the watchful eye of proud mum Liya.

In preparation for the cub coming out of the den, the Sea World team have also started cub-proofing the Polar Pre-School exhibit by filling in the large pool and providing an array of environmental enrichment to assist with the cub’s development.

Sea World Director of Marine Sciences Trevor Long said this is a great milestone and although we don’t know the gender yet, the cub is starting to develop its own personality.

“The cub has grown significantly in size and has started taking its first wobbly steps meaning it won’t be too long until it's ready to explore the world outside of the den," he said.

"It is an exciting time for our team as we begin to get a first glimpse into the cub's personality with the little one starting to interact with mum Liya outside of feeding and sleeping.

"The team have also cub-proofed Polar Pre-School in preparation for the cub’s upcoming public debut with the exhibit set to include a small pool for the cub to learn to swim as it explores its new environment."

The Polar Bears at Sea World are ambassadors for their species and play a vital role in raising awareness of the effects of global warming. Current research indicates that Polar Bear numbers in the wild are declining, with 20,000 – 25,000 bears remaining worldwide.