Bear Quintuplets

 

Black bears typically have two cubs; rarely, one or three. In 2007,

        in northern New Hampshire , a black bear sow gave birth to five
        healthy young. There were two or three reports of sows with as many as 4
        cubs, but five was, and is, very extraordinary. The photographer learned
        of them shortly after they emerged from their den and set a goal of
        photographing all five cubs with their mom - no matter how much time and
        effort was involved. He knew the trail they followed on a fairly regular
        basis, usually shortly before dark. After spending nearly four hours a
        day, seven days a week, for more than six weeks, he had that
        once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and photographed them. He used the
        equivalent of a very fast film speed on his digital camera. 

 

 

Courtesy of Casey Gibbs