The bear belongs to the order of carnivores. It is omnivorous, but some animals prefer animal food, while others prefer plant food, this may depend on the season and the availability of food. Brown, Himalayan and black bears spend the whole winter hibernating in a prepared den.
Causes of bears hibernation
The reasons for hibernation of some species of bears are very simple. With the onset of cold weather, animals begin to experience difficulties with food, since it becomes very difficult to search for plant food under the snow, despite a highly developed sense of smell. Eating exclusively animal food, they will not be able to live on this diet for a long time, since it is quite difficult for a bear to catch a fox or a hare. An important role is played by the size of the animal, on average, its weight can reach up to 500 kg. To feed, you need a lot of food, moreover, in winter, the need for energy consumption increases compared to summer.
Pregnant female polar bears also hibernate.
Bear hibernation can last up to six months, so the animal must have a reserve of energy, which is in the subcutaneous fat. The bear picks it up during the warm season. When the animal falls asleep, its body rebuilds: the heart rate decreases markedly, during hibernation, the bear breathes much less frequently. This saves nutrients in the subcutaneous fat and oxygen in the den. During hibernation, the animal can lose up to 50% of its body weight. The bear's sleep is very sensitive, if a pack of wolves howls near the den, the clubfoot can easily wake up. In this case, a sleepy connecting rod bear in search of food can go out to people and ravage warehouses.
During hibernation, bear cubs are born. One litter can contain up to five individuals, their weight is only a few hundred grams. For the first few months, the cubs suck on their mother's milk. In the spring, the matured cubs crawl out of the den together with the bear. All the cubs stay with her for about a year and a half.
Why does a bear suck a paw
There is a legend that during hibernation the bear sucks its paw to survive the cold winter. Scientists have found out the real reason for this behavior of the beast. The surfaces of the bear's paws are covered with a thick layer of skin, which allows him to move along the rocky surface without feeling pain. When the animal hibernates, a new layer grows under the old layer of skin on the paws, and the soles begin to itch a lot. Therefore, the bear "sucks its paw" by biting off the old skin.
By biting the skin from the paws, the bear thus speeds up the process of its renewal.
There is another version, which concerns the cubs living in captivity. Babies suck their paws for this reason. The cubs spend the whole winter with their mother, holding her nipple in their mouths and feeding on milk. In captivity, they are fed from a bottle with a nipple. After eating, the cubs are released, but they do not have enough contact with their mother, so they suck their paws. In nature, this phenomenon is rare.
