The grizzly bear cubs were so keen not to be left behind that they jumped onto their mother's back

Just a few months old, they were desperate not to be left alone and clambered onto Mother Bear's back as she swam out. But as the cubs can't yet swim themselves, they remained on her back to keep dry.

The photos were taken by Norwegian dermatologist Jon Langeland who was visiting Katmai National Park in Alaska, USA, where the bears live, and saw their interactions over two days.

He explained: "These spring cubs - just a few months old - are totally dependent on their mother [and] still live mainly on milk from her."

"The first day the mother went into the water and left them on the shore was amusing - the little ones disliked that a lot. She didn't dare do that again."

Adorable baby bears refuse to be left behind as their mother goes for a swim