How do grizzly bears hibernate

They form a fecal plug that lasts until spring, and amazingly, they are capable of recycling urea into protein - a critical piece of their ability to hibernate. Unsurprisingly, nephrologists want to understand this process better, as it could help treat humans with kidney disease.

Converting urea into protein explains how grizzly bears retain their muscle mass even after such as long period of little activity. Cubs are born while females are still in their state of torpor - generally from late January - late February. Blind and about the size of a squirrel, the cubs figure out how to nurse on their own and spend the last few weeks doing so until their mother wakes up.

October 10, Biologists are studying hibernation in the hopes of preventing osteoporosis and Type II diabetes, helping those suffering from kidney failure, and prolonging the viability of human organs for transplant.

Yellowstone bears go months without performing the usual bodily functions, and their breathing and heart rates slow significantly. Nov Bear Hibernation: 5 Fun Facts.

November 2, Bears , Wildlife. Here are some facts that may surprise you about bear hibernation. Bears eat… a lot. These spaces are just large enough for the grizzly to squeeze through to trap heat. Many bears even dig the tunnel upward to a higher chamber, which helps retain heat.

Others go for a less thermodynamic design with a lower chamber and downward sloping tunnel. Unfortunately, human-driven climate change affects grizzly hibernation for the worse. Researchers have observed grizzlies exiting about ten days earlier due to the changes in temperature. For vulnerable newborn cubs, this is a serious problem: they need all the time they can get to grow strong before facing the big bad world.

Further, humans are the largest cause of grizzly bear mortality. The more time they spend safely out of reach in their dens, the better off grizzlies might be. At our Bismark Meadows Project in northern Idaho, for example, biologists have documented at least eight different bears frequenting the area during spring green-up, including several mothers with newborn cubs. By protecting land and working toward bear-related conflict prevention, we help give grizzlies their best shot at growth and survival.

Your support makes this possible, and you can also help grizzlies by staying bear aware while outdoors—even in the winter! Carrying bear spray and watching out for tracks and signs of bear activity is always recommended. Skip to content. When the snow starts piling and temperatures drop, grizzly bears begin preparing their dens for winter hibernation, or "torpor," if we're being precise.

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