Where do bears hibernate?
Bears are large mammals in the family Ursidae.
They can vary in color from silver-blue to brown or dark black depending on where they live.
Most bears have large bodies, long snouts which contain an impressive sense of smell, and small tails.
Two types of bears are found in North America, the black bear, and the grizzly bear.
The bear family is divided into eight subfamilies.
There are five pandas, the spectacled bear, sloth bear, sun bear, brown bears (including grizzly bears), and polar bears.
All but one species of this family are found in North America.
The only other continent with a member of the Ursidae family is Asia.
Bears prepare for winter in different ways depending on their species.
Some bears store up food to eat during their long winter nap while others will migrate hundreds or thousands of miles to colder climates where they don’t have to eat at all during winter.
Where Do Grizzly Bears Hibernate?
Grizzly bears prepare for the long winters by living off their fat reserves which they have accumulated during the fall.
They will often be seen napping in riverbeds or holes dug by other animals.
There, they wait for winter to come so they can hibernate out of view from predators.
Black bears, on the other hand, do not store as much fat as grizzly bears and will therefore spend their winters foraging for food before hibernating.
They often live in hollow trees during this time.
Where Do Black Bears Hibernate?
Black bears hibernate inside tree cavities, underneath large rocks or logs, and in the dens of other animals.
Some black bears even den up just a few feet away from their food sources so they can wake up quickly after hibernating to get their next meal.
If you are lucky enough to come upon a bear that is hibernating you will notice its breathing is slow and steady.
Also, the bear’s heart rate has been measured at between 28-50 beats per minute which is about half of what it would be if the bear were to be awake.
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