Most black bears hibernate from November through March. NPS Photo / Harlan Kredit. Bears in the zoo do not hibernate if food is given to them in winters, however, this activity is not healthy as they tend to become overweight. Once hibernating, a black bear can doze for many months with a body temperature of 88°F or higher. Bears typically den (hibernate) in fall (late October-early December) and emerge in spring (March-April). Conflicts are inevitable, however, it will be to our own benefit to learn how to live in harmony with these wonderful creatures. Not all bears hibernate, but in Alaska, most bears do, including the males. Black Bear Hibernation. These include lower heart rates, constriction of blood vessels, suppressed shivering, reduced breathing, and lower oxygen consumption. They can remain active, however, they choose not to. The Florida black bear does not have to hibernate to avoid the cold. At birth the cubs weigh about one-half to three-quarters of a pound, are blind, naked and completely dependent on their mother. Females typically hibernate longer than males. Black bears will typically begin their hibernation period at the end of September/October or even as late as the beginning of November. But, as the food supplies dwindles, the bears become very tired and begin to look for a place to sleep through the winter. Despite this grave weight loss, over 90 percent of black bears survive the winter. Wild black bears are most likely to run away from humans, and can often be frightened away by loud noises such as shouting or banging pots and pans. However, this is not the case at all. Most all bears go into their dens by the time there is a heavy snowfall in the region and generally are solitary except for females with cubs. Grizzly bears and black bears generally do not eat, drink, defecate, or urinate during hibernation. In the South, bears exhibit the same characteristics, only for shorter time periods. During the summer mating season, fertilized eggs will remain in a female bear’s womb but will not implant until weeks or months later. hibernation. In its simplest definition, hibernation is a specialized reduction in metabolism brought about by low food availability and/or low temperatures. Hibernation in black bears is dependent on food availability—meaning that once a bear is using more energy than they can find, they’ll hibernate. Black bears are masters of adaptation. admintag. Do this from a safe distance! The mating period for black bears extends from May to July. Bears are omnivores and will eat meat too, including ground squirrels, carion and whatever they can find. Black bears in Minnesota use several different types of dens. Bears that continue to find enough calories foraging in the late fall and winter may go into hibernation later, or skip it altogether (these bears are more often males). Their heart rate slows from 50 beats per minute to about 10 beats per minute. Winter is a time of hardship for most mammals. Bears that eat human food can lose their preference for natural food sources and their fear of humans. The It will depend on the resources available. Food drives its life and behavior whether it is awake or asleep. What about bears in North Carolina? Promoting appreciation of Denali through informative and inspiring programs. While hibernating bears live off stored fats in their body from the food they ate during the year. Bears eat… a lot. However, far from being a long, uninterrupted sleep, hibernation consists of periods of sleep punctuated by periods of arousal. Black bears do not normally seek out confrontation with humans. Source: adfg.alaska.gov. As a result, bears are somewhat wakeful sleepers and are capable of abandoning a den if seriously disturbed whereas many rodents are so deep in hibernation that they can be handled without waking. To understand this issue, we first need to define the process of hibernation. Bears in the zoo do not hibernate if food is given to them in winters, however, this activity is not healthy as they tend to become overweight. Mailing Address:1701 Mail Service CenterRaleigh, NC 27699-1700, Report Wildlife Violations:1-800-662-7137. Oh, and their cubs are pretty cute, too. NPS Photo / Harlan Kredit. As winter weather rolls in, black bears are bedding down for hibernation. In many ways, their ability to hibernate for long periods without feeding or eliminating waste is more advanced and remarkable than what has been considered “normal” hibernation involving periodic arousal to move about and feed. Also, dens usually are only a few degrees warmer than the soil, so the bear’s main protection from the cold comes from the insulative quality of its fat and fur. Where Do Black Bears Hibernate? They will stay in the dens for almost half a year and they will typically wake up during April. In the past, black bears occupied forested regions across the majority of the continent, but their range has since been significantly reduced. They are found in cold regions such as Alaska, Canada, Russia, and some parts of South America among other places. A bear is an animal that is related to the dog family although it is omnivorous. During winter dormancy polar bears can also reduce their heart rate and possibly metabolism and temperature. It would be dangerous for the cubs to be born during summer months and exposed to predation. Furthermore, the long periods of inactivity would result in degradation of bones and muscles for non-hibernating animals. But it doesn't need to eat, drink or pass waste. Hibernation is their way of surviving a long winter when there’s little food available. Bears will hibernate in excavated dens, under trees, in rock caves or in hollowed-out trees and often will rake leaves, twigs and other plant material into dens as bedding. A 700-pound bear requires as much as 20,000 calories a day. 2. Adult black bears typically weigh 100-300 pounds, but males can exceed 500 pounds. During the summer months, a typical adult male bear weighs approximately 250 pounds while adult females are generally smaller and weigh slightly over 100 pounds. Most of the time, trouble with black bears arises from their attraction to food. In Washington, black bears live in a diverse array of forested habitats, from coastal rainforests to the dry woodlands of the Cascades’ eastern slopes. Black bears can remain dormant for up to 5 months in winter. 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