In fact, zoologists argue that bears do not go into real hibernation, but only partially immerse themselves in longer sleep. Is it so?
Why bears hibernate
Bears, like many mammals, do not store for the winter. It is known that clubfoot falls into prolonged sleep, during which they actively consume fat reserves made during the summer and autumn seasons. In fact, a bear's sleep cannot be called hibernation. It's just that in winter it is just longer than in summer.
If we talk about hibernation, during this process all vital signs are practically reduced to zero. The body temperature of the animal drops and becomes only slightly higher than the surrounding air. This is what helps to reduce energy consumption. If external environmental factors change, for example, if the temperature in the den drops, then the animal wakes up, warms up (burrowing in snow or bedding) and falls back to sleep. Thanks to this, it is possible to save more heat, therefore, there will be less energy consumption, and the bear will safely endure wintering in order to get out into the forest again in the summer.
Features of hibernation
It is known that not all bears hibernate. Polars differ from their European relatives. While the rest quietly snooze in their dens, they are actively looking for food. An exception to the rule is pregnant females, who hibernate for several months until they have babies. After the birth of the cubs, the bear leaves the den and continues to be active in search of food.
It is better to never wake a bear sleeping in a den, since a clubfoot wakes up at one moment, while it becomes 100 times more dangerous. Such cases are extremely rare for a person to stumble upon a den in winter. Bears choose very secluded places in the forest, where, perhaps, a human's foot has not even set foot.
Scientists have been trying for years to unravel the mystery of the forest giant. Indeed, it has not yet been precisely identified that allows them to be in complete hibernation for up to 7 months. By answering this question, scientists hope to make substances used by animals and for humans. This, in turn, will help the person to safely fall into long sleep without harm to the body. One way or another, all this is just a development, but for now people can only envy the bear's heroic sleep.
