mother bear
Refers specifically to a female bear with cubs; used in both literal and figurative contexts, such as describing a fiercely protective mother.
母熊が子熊を守るために立ち上がった。
The mother bear stood up to protect her cub.
Compound of 母 (はは, 'mother') and 熊 (くま, 'bear'). The reading ははぐま is a straightforward combination of the kun'yomi readings of the two kanji.