It is commonly known that in the winter time North American animals such as bears hibernate but what is not as commonly known is their preparation process and what changes their body undergoes during hibernation. 

When bears hibernate in winter, they don’t stay asleep the whole time they enter a stage called topor that is similar to hibernation but allows them to wake up quickly if needed.

 During their time in the dens they don’t need to eat, drink, or use the bathroom. The only time they would leave their dens during hibernation would be if it becomes flooded or is extremely damaged. 

Depending on where the bear lives, the length of time they hibernate varies. In the chillier parts of Alaska, bears hibernate for about 7 months of the year. But bears in the warmer parts of Alaska hibernate for about 2 to 5 months of the year. 

Bears bodies have adapted allowing them to last for a long time without food and water. Their body temperatures lower 8-12 degrees different from their usual temperature. They then break down fat that stores energy but conserves most of their muscle mass allowing them to not get any weaker during the winter. 

Bears prepare for hibernation by eating and drinking constantly over the fall months in order to put on weight for hibernation. This process is called hyperphagia and this is the time where a bear is most active. Freshman Addison Messinger says, “I have seen the black bears at the zoo in Hershey but I never knew they put in so much work in order to prepare for winter.”

Some students at Lower Dauphin may even be lucky enough to see a bear out in the wild. Freshman Kelsey Zimmerman says “I’ve seen a bear in the wild once from a distance, it was a bit scary but cool at the same time.”