Bears make their dens in hollow trees or logs, under the root mass of a tree, in rock crevices, or even high in a tree in warmer climates. Normal activity in the spring and summer autumn hyperphagia, when bears pack on the pounds to prepare for winter and hibernation. Grizzlies experience three distinct phases in a year. The length of denning depends on location, and can vary from a few days or weeks to a few months or more. Born during hibernation, grizzly bear cubs emerge from the den weighing just 4-8 pounds before rapidly growing. As guests, proper behavior and etiquette on our part can contribute to a safe and enjoyable visit for us as our hosts. Most bears hibernate or den during the winter months. When we visit a park with bears, we are entering their home.

In the spring, when the snow begins to melt, the bears will wake up and emerge from their den in search of food again. The family will remain in the den for the duration of winter while the mother sleeps and the cubs nurse and grow. Pregnant bears will give birth to their cubs in the den, most likely within the first two months of hibernation. The build-up of waste that bears somehow process would kill most animals if they did not arouse from hibernation to handle normal bodily functions. In the South, bears exhibit the same characteristics, only for shorter time periods. Their bodies use the fat they stored in summer and fall as energy. and Canada, bears hibernate as long as 8 months without moving from their den. During their slumber, bears’ bodies drop in body temperature, pulse rate, and respiration. The length of denning depends on location, and can vary from a few days or weeks to a few months or more.īears make their dens in hollow trees or logs, under the root mass of a tree, in rock crevices, or even high in a tree in warmer climates. Most bears hibernate or den during the winter months.

Bears hibernate