This is apparently the first photographic evidence of a phenomenon — baby Polar Bears riding on their mother's backs — that was heretofore undocumented.
It's also damn cute.
The Telegraph reports: "Now in a paper in the journal Polar Biology Dr Aars has explained why the cubs
might ride on the back of the mother. He said that although young bears can swim they have not yet built up much
insulating fat and may be at risk of getting too cold. 'This could be potentially important because it means that the cubs get
exposed to less water. If they are in the water they would have to swim and
very small cubs are very badly insulated in water,' he said."