How does a black bear prepare for hibernation?
“Hibernation: Black bears living in areas which experience severe winters hibernate for between four and seven months, whereas those residing in a more temperate climate where food is available all year around do not. During summer and autumn the Black bear gains as much weight as possible (up to 18 kilograms per week) in preparation for hibernation during the winter months. Hibernation is a survival mechanism that allows bears to survive long periods when food is scarce. Hibernating bears undergo a metabolic transformation, their body temperature falls, their heart rate drops to 8-12 beats per minute and their metabolism slows by half. During this period the bear will not pass either urine or faecal matter and whilst this poisonous build up would kill many other animals, the bear has developed a unique process of chemically altering waste chemicals and converting them into useable proteins. During this period all bears lose a great deal of weight, between 15-30% for a male and up to 4
