AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
How Bears Hibernate Without Freezing
- Black bears hibernate by fattening up and slowing their metabolism rather than plunging body temperature.
- They survive months without eating, drinking, peeing, or pooping by using stored fat and slowing heart and breathing rates.
Bears Hibernate With Small Temperature Drop
- Bears' body temperature drops only modestly, but scientists still classify them as true hibernators.
- They can go four to five months without excreting because a fecal plug forms and dissolves when they wake.
Mothers Give Birth During Hibernation
- During hibernation bears metabolize fat and some muscle to produce energy and water.
- Pregnant females give birth in the den and remain semi-alert to nurse tiny cubs through shallow sleep.