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Most bears begin hibernation in early October and rouse themselves in April or May. They're usually not holed up for the entire time (it's probably more appropriate to think of hibernation as a series of very long naps), but the American Black Bear can go 100 days without waking up. Bears hibernate in order to evade the deprivations of winter. Traditional food sources dry up, and much-needed shelter can be hard to find. Before tucking in for their long winter's nap, bears gain up to 40 pounds of fat a week. Once comfortably ensconced in a cave or
hollow tree, the big critter's heart rate drops from 55 beats per minute to roughly 10, and its body temperature drops 5 to 10 degrees. Relatively speaking, bears don't hibernate very deeply. They need to keep their body temperatures up in order to care for cubs, which are born during winter and suckled by a slumbering mother. Be warned -- if you disturb a hibernating bear, it will wake up.
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