So will hearing newborn bear cubs make nursing women lactate?

And humans taste like pork. World's full of interesting coincidences, isn't it?

I lasted 20 seconds before I... oh hey, look, a squirrel!

Female black bears all give birth around the same time whether they bred in early summer or late; the fertilized egg doesn't implant, so the 60-day gestation is timed so cubs are born in the den.

Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.

JesseL: So will hearing newborn bear cubs make nursing women lactate?

I'm a bear. I volunteer to test this theory.

somebody posted this in some other thread today, and it seems relevant

What would be a nice surprise would be going for a hike and hearing what sounds like a baby crying in a hole. You move to check it out and BAM! You've got a face full of angry mama bear.

/inconsolable

especially in the fall when the regular season ends and they aren't in the playoffs.

syzygy whizz: xxmedium: Female black bears all give birth around the same time whether they bred in early summer or late; the fertilized egg doesn't implant, so the 60-day gestation is timed so cubs are born in the den.

Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.

60 days gestation for something as big and complex as a bear.
60 days gestation for something as small and complicated as a cat...
and some ruminants (as well as humans) take 9 months.
The ruminant can stand and walk within minutes of birth, while the human takes nearly a year to do this.
I am amazed at the way Nature works.
Truly.

Gestation of Black Bears are approximately 7 months, however, the blastocyst doesn't implant to the uterus until the last 60 days.

JesseL: So will hearing newborn bear cubs make nursing women lactate?

Maybe when they first start out.

I'm over a year into nursing my daughter, and I can report no lactation on my end. YMMV.

Ambivalence: Bears are really tiny when they're born.

Yep. They're almost as small as marsupials - This site says 'less than a pound at birth' and 'smaller young, relative to any other placental mammal'. Momma bear runs between 175 and 500. Around a third of a percent.

Humans are 6 to 9 pounds at birth, for moms that average about 150. About 5% of the mother's mass, making human babies 15 times as large, proportional to mom at birth. A bison calf runs 40-50 pounds, mom 1,100; about 4% ratio. Whitetail Deer fawns 6.5 pds for a 120 pd doe. 5%.

Human babies are big compared to momma, but not out of line.

Firethorn: Ambivalence: Bears are really tiny when they're born.

Yep. They're almost as small as marsupials - This site says 'less than a pound at birth' and 'smaller young, relative to any other placental mammal'. Momma bear runs between 175 and 500. Around a third of a percent.

Humans are 6 to 9 pounds at birth, for moms that average about 150. About 5% of the mother's mass, making human babies 15 times as large, proportional to mom at birth. A bison calf runs 40-50 pounds, mom 1,100; about 4% ratio. Whitetail Deer fawns 6.5 pds for a 120 pd doe. 5%.

Human babies are big compared to momma, but not out of line.


I always wonder how baby bears don't get squished. They're about 1/400th the size of the mother (compared to something like 1/12th for humans)

octopied: Firethorn: Ambivalence: Bears are really tiny when they're born.

Yep. They're almost as small as marsupials - This site says 'less than a pound at birth' and 'smaller young, relative to any other placental mammal'. Momma bear runs between 175 and 500. Around a third of a percent.

Humans are 6 to 9 pounds at birth, for moms that average about 150. About 5% of the mother's mass, making human babies 15 times as large, proportional to mom at birth. A bison calf runs 40-50 pounds, mom 1,100; about 4% ratio. Whitetail Deer fawns 6.5 pds for a 120 pd doe. 5%.

Human babies are big compared to momma, but not out of line.


I always wonder how baby bears don't get squished. They're about 1/400th the size of the mother (compared to something like 1/12th for humans)

Oh the wonders of motherly tenderness.

UNAUTHORIZED FINGER: Bear carcasses after they've been skinned also look freakishly human. When I was a kid, I once walked into my uncle's barn where he had a bear carcass hanging, and thought "Wow, I guess my cousin finally pissed the old man off for the last time".

Bear Paws vs Human Hands and Feet (new window)

octopied: I always wonder how baby bears don't get squished. They're about 1/400th the size of the mother (compared to something like 1/12th for humans)

Mother's tenderness, and momma's generally in her den and almost hibernating - the baby goes to a nipple and stays in the general area, for food and warmth. Momma's not moving much for the next several weeks, while baby is putting weight on quick.