Hibernation Time

Hibernation:  Hibernation in bears lasts up to seven months. Bears do not eat, drink, pee, or poop when they are hibernating. Hibernation is almost like being in suspended animation or stasis. Bears will go into hibernation when the weather becomes cold and, when spring begins, the bears come out of hibernation. The bears hibernate because, in the winter, their favorite foods (nuts and berries) become difficult to obtain. Bears survive on their stored fat. Shortly before hibernation time, bears eat massive quantities of food, building up fat in their bodies. The bears' heartbeat becomes extremely slow, about ten beats per minute, and the bears' body temperature drops dramatically. During hibernation, bears can lose anywhere from fifteen to forty percent of their body weight.

Bearnacle Bear, Bertrand, Sweet Suzie Bear, and all of the other bears have gone into hibernation.

Hibernation Haiku:
snow falls on oak trees,
covering branches with white.
Time for bears to sleep.

Naked trees stand tall
all the fruit has been picked clean
nothing left to eat.

A dark den awaits
as bears sleepily crawl in
hibernation time.

The sun sets early
and stars glitter in the night
earth's beauty is cold.

Sleep well, little bear,
may your dreams be beautiful
in your long, long sleep.

Monday's tale: The bears wake from their hibernation, and Bearnacle Bears and friends begin their voyage to the Land of the Giants.