They feed heavily, and lay on fat reserves. Then they seek out suitable den sites.
No
For black bears and grizzly bears, from spring to fall, with heightened periods when bears come out of hibernation and when they're fattening up for hibernation. For polar bears, it can be any time of the year.
it is hibernation
In the winter bears go through hibernation. The bear was hungry and ill-tempered after it's long hibernation.
== == Most bears prepare for hibernation by eating a lot. They gain a lot of weight to sustain lowered metabolic function and minimal function of organs like the heart and breathing during hibernation.
They store food as fat. This occurs just before hibernation.
No, the whole metabolism shuts down to almost nothing.
in winter during hibernation in their dens?
both groundhogs and bears hibernate.
Black bears prepare for hibernation in the early autumn when the air starts to be colder. They choose a spot that seems safe and warm. lt may be a hollow in a tree, a small cave in a hillside or an area that they hollow out themselves. Black bears eat as much food as they can find during the summer, so that they will have good fat reserves during hibernation. Their metabolism slows during their "sleep" so they use less calories.
These bears will live in temperatures above 100 degrees F and below -10 degrees F. Usually at the latter temperature bears are in hibernation, but still, when bears are too hungry to be in hibernation, they'll be out looking for food.
feb. march.