He finally makes it to the ice, nine months after he was born. His mother has triumphed against the odds to reach this land of plenty.

 

On the way, she taught her cub the survival skills for what could be an increasingly ice-free future. 

 

More than anything, the cub learnt that curiosity is the key to survival. But there is one more challenge ahead. 

 

A young male has caught a seal.

 

They can't walk away from the chance of fresh meat. He charges. But she refuses to be intimidated. She needs a meal far more than he does. She drives home her determination.

 

Well-fed bears eat only the blubber, leaving the rest for others. They waited the whole summer for this moment, their first taste of fresh meat for four months. They are safe from starvation. 

 

Of all the subjects ever filmed by spycams, the polar bear has shown the greatest curiosity and intelligence, and none more so than this mother. Against the odds, she brought her cub up in one of the longest periods without ice in Svalbard’s history. The cub faced many challenges over the summer. But to reveal his story, the spy cameras faced challenges of their own.