Variety Of Strategies
They did this by floundering around and attempting a variety of strategies until they were successful. The ability to tread water and the ability to swim are two very distinct skills; nevertheless, these cubs have only completed the first part of the survival process, which is treading water.
There was yet a sliver of possibility. They were fast running out of energy, and it was getting more and more challenging for them to see their mother. They would eventually use up all of the energy that was available to them and give in to the effects of the freezing water that was surrounding them,