Cuteness cone-firmed! Polar bear cub plays with its new toys

By SOPHIA STANFORD, NEWS REPORTER Published: 21:02, 22 July 2026 | Updated: 21:25, 22 July 2026 When pondering the functions of a cone, there are many: roadworks, football drills, illuminating pathways. 'To play with' is typically not one of them - especially when it ends up on your head. One polar cub is yet to figure this one out, as he was spotted messing around with his new apparatus. The curious creature, known as Little Momota, took turns trying out different colours of his new 'hat'. He even forlornly rested his head on its tip at one point while taking a break from his taxing adventures. Momota is a resident at the Oga Aquarium in Akita Prefecture, Japan, and was born to his mother, Momo, in December last year. Little Momota, a polar bear cub at Oga Aquarium in Japan, discovered a new function for a cone - to wear as a hat The cub tested out different colours of his new accessory to the delight of adoring visitors While taking a break from his hat-donning extravaganza, Momota found a moment to rest his head forlornly on the tip The humorous moment was captured by 53-year-old office worker Takuzo Toriya, who admitted that his photography is a hobby. He added that the cub was showing off how much it 'loves playing with toys'.  Momota is not unfamiliar with internet fame as several of his first few months in the public eye captured the hearts of visitors and users online alike. Across the world, there are believed to be 300 to 400 polar bears kept in captivity, with 12 believed to be cared for in the UK.