hibernation – Syndication Server

Yellowstone landscape is pretty, but can you spot the bear?

During the summer bears roamed the Yellowstone landscape, but weren’t always easy to see. Image will test your spotting skills.

*Editor’s note: A version of this post was published by ForTheWin earlier this year.

Bears in Yellowstone National Park are hibernating, but during the summer they were spread across the landscape and often visible from roads and trails.

But they weren’t always easy to see, and one Montana-based hiking guide used an image he captured from above the Lamar River to test his social-media followers’ spotting skills.

“I’ve been told my more recent ‘Find the Animal Friday’ posts have been way too easy,” Douglas Scott stated via X. “This one is a little more challenging.”

Can you spot the black bear? Photo: Douglas Scott

Scott allowed the use of his image for this post, so we’re also challenging readers: Can you spot the black bear in the images posted above? (Answer below.)

Hint: It’s a difficult quiz and there are several shadows that might be mistaken for the bear.

Scott, who runs The Outdoor Society, told me that he captured the image June 21 “on a perfectly clear day” in the park’s northern range.

“It was definitely a fun spot as my client was amazed I saw it so easily from so far away,” Scott recalled.

His X followers offered several guesses but in the hours after his post only one had pinpointed the bear’s location.

When I guessed, Scott informed me that I had found “the shadow of a tree.”

Another guess was met with the reply: “Unfortunately, you are incorrect. You most definitely found a non-animal shadow though!”

Yellowstone is remarkable in that visitors often see bears up close or in the distance, especially if they’re patient and use binoculars or spotting scopes.

They might also capture a landscape image and later realize that a critter is visible in the image.

In 2023, for example, I was watching bears on one side of a highway and turned to snap an image of a coyote in transit on the other side of the highway.

When I got back to my hotel room and began to inspect my images, I discovered that a smaller animal was visible, paying close attention to the coyote.

As for the black bear photographed by Scott, it’s much easier to spot in a zoomed-in version posted immediately below.

Zoomed-in version shows black bear’s location. Photo: Douglas Scott

Immediately below is an image with the bear pinpointed with an arrow.

Black bear location. Photo: Douglas Scott

As for Yellowstone bears, they’ll begin to emerge from hibernation as early as late March.

Weary Yellowstone bear shown ‘tucking self in’ for hibernation

Footage shows a very sleepy black bear gathering extra bedding material before resuming its long winter nap.

The Yellowstone Safari Company on Saturday shared heartwarming footage showing a sleepy black bear gathering material just outside its den before resuming its long winter nap.

“Have you ever seen a bear tuck themself in for their winter hibernation?” guide Grant T. Johnson asked via Instagram. (Footage posted below.)

Johnson explained that his group was “very lucky” to have encountered the bear Friday as it emerged to seek extra insulation material in the form of twigs and other debris.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDE-_BCp3Yn/

The guide explained: “Bears aren’t true hibernators, in the most technical sense of the term, but rather enter a state of torpor, or extreme inactivity, in the winter. Still, it’s unusual to see them emerge from their dens at all once they tuck in during autumn.

“Sleep well, little buddy, and we’ll see you in the spring.”

According to Yellowstone National Park, most bears have entered their dens by mid-November, “although some males remain active through December before hibernating.”

Bears in the Greater Yellowstone area typically begin to emerge from their dens in early February, and most bears have left their dens by early May.

Male bears tend to abandon their dens much earlier than female bears with cubs.

Watch: Incredibly fat grizzly bear beyond ready for hibernation

Footage from Canada’s Yukon Territory shows an extremely plump grizzly bear that seems beyond ready for hibernation.

A trail camera in Canada’s Yukon Territory has captured footage featuring an extremely plump grizzly bear that seems beyond ready for hibernation.

“This rotund grizzly sure knows how to prep for the big sleep that awaits,” David Troup of Yukon Wildlife Cams stated this week via Facebook, in reference to the impending hibernation season. “While not the biggest grizzly I’ve captured on camera, definitely the fattest, which is meant in the most admirable of ways.”

Troup’s footage (posted below) shows the massive bruin strolling past the motion-sensor camera with sleepy eyes that almost seem closed. (Please click here if video player doesn’t appear.)

https://www.facebook.com/yukonwildlifecams/videos/1200441621186859

Understandably, Troup’s followers were impressed enough to chime in.

One suggested that the bear is pregnant, to which Troup replied, “Nope, just fat.”

Another remarked that the bear could have been a contender in the annual Fat Bear Week competition that features coastal brown bears of the Brooks River in Alaska’s Katmai National Park.

Another comment: “Great footage, you can see he/she is very content, even looking happy.”

Troup’s reply: “It looks like its eyes are even closed as it walks along.”

The top comment refers to lyrics in the 1978 song by Queen, “Fat Bottomed Girls.” The revised verse: “Fat bottom bears they make this rocking world go round.”

Grizzly bear den with a view? Cool facts about bruins’ winter homes

One den discovered two years ago housed a 600-pound grizzly bear and featured a sweeping view of the Idaho forest.

Two years ago the Idaho Department of Fish and Game joked about what grizzly bears consider while choosing den sites for the winter:

“The view of course!”

The remark on Facebook was in reference to a spacious den biologists discovered while searching for a 600-pound grizzly bear’s dropped research collar.

The collar’s signal led them to a high-altitude den site that featured a stunning view of the forest and a distant river or lake.

The accompanying images show the view and IDFG Officer Chris Johnson “enjoying the ample head room inside the bear’s den.”

Officer Chris Johnson at entrance to bear den. Photo: IDFG

(The bear was not present when the collar was retrieved.)

With another hibernation season close at hand, bears will soon stake out potential den sites or reclaim existing sites.

Den utilized by a 600-pound bear. Photo: IDFG

A sampling of facts about bear dens, courtesy of the National Park Service, referring mainly to bears within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which includes Yellowstone National Park:

–Den sites are typically located on north-facing slopes at elevations between 6,500 and 10,000 feet. “This is desirable in greater Yellowstone because prevailing southwest winds accumulate snow on the northerly slopes and insulate dens from sub-zero temperatures.”

–Grizzly bears typically excavate dens in 3-7 days, “moving up to a ton of material.” Chamber floors are covered with spruce boughs and forest debris, ensuring air pockets that help trap body heat. Chambers can measure seven feet in diameter.

–Den site openings are typically just large enough for bears to squeeze through. Small openings become snow-covered more quickly and help keep dens insulated.

–Bears typically enter dens for hibernation by mid-November, but male bears can be encountered outside dens well into December. Bears begin to emerge from their dens in February, but female bears with cubs often remain in or near their dens until late May.

–Bears experience a slower metabolism, and lower respiration and heart rates during hibernation. Their breathing, for example, can slow from 6-10 breaths per minute before hibernation to only one breath every 45 seconds during hibernation.

As for the den featured in the images, it was visited by grizzly bear biologist Jeremy Nicholson and IDFG Officers Johnson and Joe Heald. It’s not clear if the den site has been reused.

Massive grizzly bear den site appears to be all about the view

Biologists searching for a dropped collar last fall discovered a massive grizzly bear den overlooking the vast Idaho wilderness.

Grizzly bears are preparing to hibernate and people might wonder what kind of process is involved in choosing a den site.

The question brings to mind a social-media post last fall by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, revealing a massive den site that boasted an expansive view of the forest and river.

“Ever wonder how a large male grizzly chooses a spot to dig a winter den? The view of course!” the agency’s Upper Snake River division joked via Facebook.

Officer Chris Johnson poses inside the den. Photo: IDFG

The den was discovered by biologist Jeremy Nicholson, who was searching for a dropped collar from a research bear.

The collar’s signal led Nicholson and two IDFG officers to a den excavated by a grizzly bear that weighed more than 600 pounds.

Officer Chris Johnson is pictured “enjoying the ample head room inside the bear’s den.”

Entrance to the grizzly bear’s den. Photo: IDFG

The bear was not in the den at the time and Nicholson and crew retrieved the collar without incident.

“Check out the spectacular view from the den and what it takes to excavate a den large enough to hold a grizzly bear,” the post concluded.

Grizzly bears can move up to a ton of earth to excavate dens comfortable enough to support them during the winter. They typically begin preparing for hibernation in mid- to late November.

Yellowstone National Park logs first grizzly bear sighting of 2023

A Yellowstone National Park biologist spotted a grizzly bear Tuesday while on a research flight, providing a stark reminder that spring is close at hand.

A Yellowstone National Park biologist spotted a grizzly bear Tuesday while on a research flight, providing a stark reminder that spring is just around the corner.

To be sure, despite frigid temperatures and an abundance of snow, this should not come as a surprise.

Tuesday’s sighting marked the third time in four years that the park’s first known grizzly bear sighting occurred March 7. (In 2021, the first sighting was on March 13.)

The sighting, of an adult bear weighing 300 to 350 pounds, occurred near bison remains in the central-eastern portion of the park.

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The park explained in a news release that male grizzly bears typically emerge from hibernation in March. Female grizzlies with cubs usually wait until April or early May.

With the spring tourism season about to begin, bear management biologist Kerry Gunther issued this important advice:

“Spring visitors skiing, snowshoeing, or hiking in Yellowstone National Park are reminded to carry bear spray and be especially alert for bears near carcasses and areas with early spring green-up.

“These are the first foods sought out by grizzlies after emerging from hibernations.”

Park visitors are cautioned to maintain a distance of at least 100 yards from bears they spot in the Yellowstone wilderness.

–Generic grizzly bear image courtesy of Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone grizzly bears to begin emerging from hibernation

It’s cold and snowy in Yellowstone National Park, but the calendar reveals that the first grizzly bear sighting of 2023 could occur any day.

Last year the first known sighting of an out-of-den grizzly bear occurred March 7. The bear was spotted by a pilot over the west-central portion of the park.

In 2021, the first sighting was logged March 13, again by a pilot, as the grizzly bear interacted with wolves feasting on a large carcass.

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In 2020, the first grizzly bear sighting occurred March 7 near Grand Prismatic Spring, and in 2019 the first sighting was March 8 between Canyon Village and the Fishing Bridge.

Weather, of course, factors into when grizzly bears exit hibernation dens and how long they remain outside. (This week has featured daytime temperatures in the high teens.)

However, it’s typical for male grizzly bears to begin emerging from dens in early March, while female bears with cubs usually wait until April or early May.

The first grizzly bear sighting, for fans of Yellowstone National Park, is an exciting reminder that spring is close at hand.

–Generic grizzly bear image courtesy of Yellowstone National Park

Biologists discover huge grizzly bear den with ‘spectacular view’

As grizzly bears fatten up in advance of hibernation, some might wonder what features are important for grizzlies as they seek den sites. “It’s the view!”

As grizzly bears fatten up in advance of hibernation, some might wonder what features are important for grizzlies as they seek den sites.

“The view of course!” Idaho Fish and Game Upper Snake joked on Friday.

A Facebook post by the regional IDFG office featured images showing an enormous den discovered by biologist Jeremy Nicholson and Officers Chris Johnson and Joe Heald as they searched for a dropped tracking collar from a 600-pound research bear.

The view from outside the den. Photo: IDFG

The top image shows Johnson posing at the entrance of the den to reveal its size. Another image features a stunning view from just outside the den.

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“Check out the spectacular view from the den and what it takes to excavate a den large enough to hold a grizzly bear,” the Facebook description reads.

The den even featured a ceiling vent for easy breathing.

The bear was not seen, but the group located what was left of the tracking collar inside the den.

Grizzly bears might move a ton of earth to excavate dens comfortable enough to support them during the winter. Depending on the weather, they typically begin preparing for hibernation in late November.

Male grizzlies are first to emerge from their dens in the spring, usually beginning in March. Females with cubs emerge in April or early May.

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Yellowstone logs year’s first grizzly bear sighting, issues warning

Yellowstone National Park announced Tuesday that it has documented its first grizzly bear sighting of 2022.

A pilot conducting a survey over the west-central portion of the park spotted the adult bear walking in a meadow.

An out-of-den grizzly bear sighting, indicating that hibernation season is waning, had been anticipated based on the timing of previous first sightings.

In 2021, the first grizzly bear sighting was logged March 13 by a pilot flying over an undisclosed location. The bear was interacting with wolves that were feeding on a large animal carcass.

In 2020, the first sighting was reported March 7 near Grand Prismatic Spring in the Midway Geyser Basin.

In 2019, the first known sighting occurred March 8 between Canyon Village and the Fishing Bridge.

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In a news release issued Tuesday, the park explained that male grizzly bears typically emerge from their dens beginning in early March. Females with cubs wait until April or early May.

“When bears emerge from hibernation, they look for food and often feed on elk and bison that died over the winter,” the park stated. “Sometimes, bears will react aggressively to encounters with people when feeding on carcasses.”

The park said visitors should exercise caution throughout the park, even on boardwalks around Old Faithful, and have bear spray handy.

“Spring visitors hiking, skiing, or snowshoeing in the park can reduce the chances of encountering bears by avoiding low-elevation winter ranges, thermal areas, and south-facing slopes where bears seek out ungulate carcasses and spring vegetation shortly after emerging from winter dens,” said Kerry Gunther, the park’s bear management specialist.

Yellowstone is in the process of plowing roads in anticipation of the spring and summer tourism season.

Yellowstone grizzly bear tries napping outside in heartwarming video

Footage showing an exhausted Yellowstone National Park grizzly bear attempting to nap in the snow has captured the hearts of viewers.

Footage showing an exhausted Yellowstone National Park grizzly bear attempting to nap outside its den has captured the hearts of viewers.

“Are you having trouble losing those unwanted, extra holiday pounds? Then ask your doctor if hibernation is right for you,” The U.S. Department of the Interior, joked in a video Facebook post.

The agency added that while most bears in Wyoming are hibernating and will lose up to one-third of their body weight before spring, “It’s possible to see one any time of the year.”

The footage, captured by Trent Sizemore Photography, was shared by the U.S. Department of the Interior on Wednesday.

The most popular comment: “It’s videos like this that make me forget that fluffy guy could tear off my face.”

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A sampling of others:

–“This snow-loving bear is my kindred spirit. After being in the awful humid heat of Houston, I’ve long wished for a bed of snow.”

–“I could watch this cutie all day.”

From the Trent Sizemore Photography post:

–“He was making a snow angel.”

–“Wish I could sleep and rest for a few months and then wake up skinny, not losing any muscle.”

Visitors to Yellowstone can expect male grizzly bears to emerge from hibernation beginning in mid-March. Females with cubs typically emerge in April or early May.

Black bears, which den at lower elevations, can emerge as early as late February.

–Image courtesy of the U.S. Department of the Interior, via Trent Sizemore Photography