01/29/2026
đ» Sodaâcan small đ„€
Right now, in the Smokies, black bear moms are beginning to welcome cubs that weigh only 8â12 ouncesâabout the size of a soda can! These tiny, hairless, cubs stay tucked in the den until April, when they waddle out weighing aboutâwait for itâ5 pounds! (Still smaller than your house cat đ).
Most litters in the Smokies have two cubs, but anywhere from 1â5 is possible. Cubs stick with mom for about 18 months, so you might spot last yearâs âteenagersâ tagging along with their mom too.
Remember:
Itâs illegal to approach a bear within 50 yards (150 feet) or disturb them in the park. Give them spaceânever feed, crowd, or interfere with their natural behavior.
Learn more about black bears: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/black-bears.htm
NPS Photo: Ranger Ryan checks a cubâs teeth during a den visit. This visit was part of an ongoing research project. The mother bear was tranquilized so biologists could inspect her tracking collar and download data. While she was sedated, the cubs were weighed, sexed, microchipped, and kept warm in rangersâ coats until the mother was returned to the den.
