'Mama bear isn't just a saying': Tiny bear cubs climb a tree for safety while fearless mama stands guard to approaching bear

Briana Viser • Writer and Editor

Sep 7, 2026 9:00 AM EDT

Motherly instincts mean protection, it's written in biology.

Human instincts are there for a reason, it's written in our DNA. The desire to protect, support, and help with the survival of our young is so immensely powerful. You hear stories sometimes about a woman lifting a car to save her baby, where it seems as if superhuman strength and qualities can be manifested in times where it's needed. It all comes down to our biology sometimes. In the inspiring video below, it shows the complexities of nature, and how powerful nature can be. As two tiny bear cubs climb a tree over a rushing river, the mom stays below to make sure they're stable. Then, she must have seen the threat out of the corner of her eye, because she suddenly goes running through the rushing river. You see her make a 1:1 move with another bear, she yells and throws her head around to threaten him. It's incredible what animals are willing to do to protect their young, and it's the same for people as well.

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What we call “motherly instinct” is actually the accumulation of behaviors influenced by our hormones, biology, environment, and learning. The notion of mother isn't ubiquitous across species, and nature doesn't always look the same wherever you go. Mother could mean stern and stoic, or it could mean sentimental and tender. But when it comes down to protecting their young, every mother will react the same: with agility, strength, terror, and determination to save their child. Mothers possess extraordinary skills when they need them. That's why these moments affect us so much. We see something so familiar and sentimental in animals as in us. There's no arguing the space between a mother and her child, and in the video here, the mama bear really does whatever she can to protect her cubs. That kind of instinct is crucial to survival.
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'Mama bear isn't just a saying': Tiny bear cubs climb a tree for safety while fearless mama stands guard to approaching bear

Motherly instincts mean protection, it's written in biology.

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