Bears must eat an entire year's worth of food in six months or less in order to survive winter hibernation and continued weight loss in the spring. 4. It’s sad, but it’s all part of nature and the survival of the fittest bear. When bears enter hibernation, their temperature does drop, but remains above 88°F (31°C). And bears should absolutely not be kept as pets. They reduce oxygen consumption and metabolic rate to a little as 25% of summer rates and breathe once per 15 to 45 seconds. Bears live off of a layer of fat built up during the summer and fall months prior to hibernation. Bears need to get rid of waste before they hibernate so they are not interrupted with the urge to eliminate while they are sleeping. They can eat most of the same foods in captivity that they would find in the wild, as well as added vegetables and fruits. 'During hibernation, bears can lose 1/4 to … If bear hibernation has become an issue of debate today, it’s because of the fact that they do not drop their core body temperature like squirrels or other rodents do. Once hibernating, bears do not eat, drink, urinate or defecate. Even though they are meeting all their energy requirements by metabolizing fats, they do not lose muscle in the process. They seem to be able to use urea (a nitrogen-rich waste product in the blood) to make new protein. Bears become hyperphagic, meaning they eat to store fat that will then be used as energy. I mean, how could they with hibernation on the line? During a black bear’s hibernation, its metabolic rate slows and its temperature may drop, but a safety mechanism prevents it from dropping too low. This is aided by a fecal plug which stops up their colon and is released when they wake. Smithsonian reports that sometimes, polar bears also eat other polar bears. Cows Grizzly bears and black bears generally do not eat, drink, defecate, or urinate during hibernation. Bears appear to maintain their muscle mass and tone during the three to four month hibernation period. You should never feed a bear in the wild. The heart rate of a bear during hibernation can slow to a sluggish 9 beats per minute. In captivity, bears can eat multiple smaller meals per day, and they can be given more in the months before they go into hibernation. By the sixth or seventh month in the den, most of these bears defecate—usually near the den entrance. They will change position while in the den, they may awaken and move about, and they … Stage 1 — Hibernation of study bears in close dens is continuous dormancy with distinct decreases in heart rate and metabolic rate. Some bears gain as much as 30 pounds per week when they are preparing to hibernate. They use up to 4,000 kcal per day, mainly body fat, and do not eat, drink, urinate, or defecate. They will need to stock up on food before the hibernation process and will not need to urinate or defecate. Waste products are produced, however, instead of disposing of their metabolic waste, bears … Which bears hibernate? Grizzly bears have been known to eat black bears before. Smokey and his brother, Bandit, will not hibernate as bears do in the wold. Before hibernating, bears need to store energy that will sustain them. Although black bears are said to hibernate without eating, drinking, urinating, or defecating, most bears in northern regions remain in dens so long that they develop extra large fecal plugs. In general, grizzlies won’t turn down any sort of opportunity to eat. Fecal plugs have a light odor that is not unpleasant. They do this by eating berries, which are rich in carbohydrates. Dormancy with distinct decreases in heart rate and metabolic rate, defecate, or urinate during can. Sluggish 9 beats per minute ( a nitrogen-rich waste product in the.! 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