Trail camera captures footage of black bear and cubs 'scent marking' in Maine woods

Black bear and cubs caught on camera “scent marking” in Maine

A black bear and cubs were seen on a trail camera marking their scent on a tree in the woods in Maine.

OXFORD, Maine - A high-definition trail camera in Oxford County, Maine, caught a black bear mother engaged in a lengthy “scent-marking” back scratch in the woods on June 21, as her cubs looked on.

The black bear can be seen scent marking, wherein a bear rubs their shoulders and back on a tree, wooden post, or utility pole, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Bears use scent-marking to communicate with each other in what researchers call chemical signaling.

Wildlife photographer Colin Chase shared the video, captured with a Browning Trail Camera, on his YouTube channel, calling it “cuteness overload.”