Welcome to You Ask Andy

Kevin Dougherty) age 11, of Newport News, Va., for his question:     

HOW LONG DO BEARS HIBERNATE?

Most experts agree that guessing what a bear is about to do is downright impossible. For one thing, the big shaggy fellow is always ready to change his mind. When headed for the woods, he is just as likely to turn around to investigate a camper. When bedded down comfortably for his winter sleep, he is quite likely to wake up and take a short walk through a snowstorm.

A bear is a very unpredictable animal, to say the least. He may sleep undisturbed through the worst of the winter. Or he may wake up a few times and leave his den to go to the bathroom. What's more, the big white polar bear considers himself too tough to hide, even through the Arctic winter. Wild brown bears may sleep through the winter but in captivity they prefer to stay awake. Obviously it is impossible to read. the mind of a bear or to guess what he plans to do.

In general, his winter plans depend largely upon where he lives. During the fall, he feasts lavishly to store extra layers of fat, just in case he should decide to hole up in a den. Actually, he never sinks into the deep coma of true hibernation, in which the body processes slow down to a minimum. But, when he has a mind to, he may sleep from the first snowfall until springtime brings forth the buds in his neighborhood.

The duration of his winter sleep tends to be longer, for example, in Alaska, where the long winter is very cold and his food supplies are blanketed under deep snow. Farther south, in warmer year round climates, he may or may not hole up for just a few weeks. And, if he lives in a climate controlled zoo, he stays awake all winter  no doubt because he hates the idea of missing those tasty handouts.

If he does sleep all winter, his fat is consumed and come spring he is quite thin. However, his tummy has been out of work for some time and he seems to know that it needs time to adjust. So, for a week or so he merely nibbles a few shoots, sips a little water and enjoys the spring sunshine.

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