During this time of hyperphagia, the fall feeding frenzy, the cubs are totally focused on eating.  Their former habits of spending time in the trees and playing are replaced by the need to eat constantly.  This means they are spending much more time on the ground than they were a month ago.  We have some good photos of the feeding behaviors of the cubs, including a couple of interesting observations.

First, we can see how the cubs are getting plumper – really becoming Chubby Cubbies, just as they should.

A Chubby Cubbie!

Cubs are eating nonstop.

Here is one of the interesting observations.  Cubs (and all bears) can pick a single acorn off the ground, or a single berry off a bush, with their prehensile lips.

Picking up acorns, one at a time.

And another interesting fact about bears’ eating habits – they sometimes use the backs of their paws as plates from which to eat their food.

A cub using his paws as plates.

Here is Marvin using his paw-plate for acorns.

Marvin using his paw as a plate.

You may notice that Marvin still has brown-tinged cub ears.  Most cubs have brownish ears at first that gradually lose the brown color and become black.  Most of the other cubs now have black ears, but Marvin’s are still brown.

Marvin’s ears are still brown.

It is so interesting to watch these cubs grow and change.  We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.