[NatureNS] HIBERNATION -- Long winter puts bears 'behind schedule' -- Globe and

Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 09:09:28 -0300
From: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
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> Subject: HIBERNATION -- Long winter puts bears 'behind schedule' --  
> Globe and Mail, Wed., April 9, 2008
>
> Globe and Mail, Wed., April 9, 2008
>
> HIBERNATION
> Long winter puts bears 'behind schedule'
>
> NELSON WYATT
> The Canadian Press
> April 9, 2008
>
> MONTREAL -- It looks like the bears in Ontario and Quebec think the  
> groundhogs got it all wrong.
>
> An early spring was forecast when the groundhogs emerged on Feb. 2,  
> but most eastern bruins are still enjoying their long winter sleep.
>
> Since Wiarton Willy, Ontario's fabled weather-predicting rodent,  
> failed to see his shadow back in February, more snow has blanketed  
> Eastern Canada. It has only recently started to disappear.
>
> The lengthy winter is being cited as the reason bears have chosen  
> to roll over and snooze for a couple more weeks, both in the  
> wilderness and at a Montreal zoo.
>
> "They're a little behind schedule," says Jonathan Luce, curator of  
> mammals and birds at the Montreal Ecomuseum.
>
> "It's interesting. It's not scary in any way, but it's different."
>
> Bears in Ontario haven't shown their faces much, either.
>
> Mr. Luce said zoo bears, like their wild counterparts, take a  
> wakeup call from the weather to end their annual hibernation.
>
> The bears usually get up around March 25, give or take a few days.
>
> A spokeswoman at the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources said  
> yesterday that most of the bears in that province also "will be  
> getting up later."
>
> "Our understanding is that the late snow melt over much of Ontario  
> will delay the bears emerging from their dens," said Jolanta Kowalski.
>
> But Alberta bears already seem to be up and around. Some have been  
> seen ambling around Banff National Park, and tracks have been  
> reported near Canmore.
>
> Bears don't go into a deep sleep like rodents, who are out like  
> lights during the winter.
>
> "In the middle of winter, if you get two or three nice days in a  
> row, you could have bears walking around," Mr. Luce says.
>
> "They're not active looking for food since their food sources are  
> virtually impossible to find. A lot of their diet is based on  
> berries and vegetation."
>
> The bears pig out in the summer and live off their fat in the  
> winter. They begin to slow down in the fall and nod off in December.
>
> A black bear can go for 100 days without drinking, eating,  
> exercising or doing much else.
>
> Light and warmer temperatures usually wake the bears.
>
> "This year, the beginning of spring was colder than usual so I  
> think temperature has just pushed them back, despite the longer  
> days," Mr. Luce said.
>
> Other creatures such as raccoons, amphibians and reptiles seem to  
> be waking up on schedule.
>
> "They're more food-motivated," Mr. Luce said.
>
> Bears in the wild that have managed to rouse themselves likely woke  
> up because they are peckish.
>
> "If they weren't quite as well prepared, if they're a little bit  
> more hungry, then they're probably going to be getting up earlier  
> so they can start looking for food," Mr. Luce said.
>
> The Ecomuseum's three female bears - which each weigh around 300  
> pounds - have been yawning and showing other signs of life in the  
> past few days. Mr. Luce says they may amble out of their dens on  
> the weekend.
>
> "That kind of gets decided by them," he said.


--Boundary_(ID_IiOmjmcs13To2nN5jhMveg)
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<HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><BR><DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite"><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><FONT face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>Subject: =
</B></FONT><FONT face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Helvetica"><B>HIBERNATION -- Long winter puts bears 'behind schedule' -- =
Globe and Mail, Wed., April 9, 2008</B></FONT></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV> Globe and Mail, Wed., =
April 9, 2008<DIV><BR class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" color=3D"#666666" =
face=3D"Verdana" size=3D"2"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 10px;"><B>HIBERNATION</B></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Trebuchet =
MS" size=3D"7"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
28.8px; letter-spacing: -1px;"><B>Long winter puts bears 'behind =
schedule'</B></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Trebuchet MS" size=3D"7"><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 28.8px; letter-spacing: =
-1px;"><B><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></B></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"Verdana"><B>NELSON WYATT</B></FONT></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top:=
 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">The Canadian =
Press</FONT></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"Verdana">April 9, 2008</FONT></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana"><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></FONT></DIV><P style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">MONTREAL -- It looks like =
the bears in Ontario and Quebec think the groundhogs got it all =
wrong.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"Verdana">An early spring was forecast when the groundhogs =
emerged on Feb. 2, but most eastern bruins are still enjoying their long =
winter sleep.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"Verdana">Since Wiarton Willy, Ontario's fabled =
weather-predicting rodent, failed to see his shadow back in February, =
more snow has blanketed Eastern Canada. It has only recently started to =
disappear.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"Verdana">The lengthy winter is being cited as the reason bears =
have chosen to roll over and snooze for a couple more weeks, both in the =
wilderness and at a Montreal zoo.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">"They're a little behind =
schedule," says Jonathan Luce, curator of mammals and birds at the =
Montreal Ecomuseum.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">"It's interesting. It's not =
scary in any way, but it's different."</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">Bears in Ontario haven't =
shown their faces much, either.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">Mr. Luce said zoo bears, =
like their wild counterparts, take a wakeup call from the weather to end =
their annual hibernation.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">The bears usually get up =
around March 25, give or take a few days.</FONT></P><P =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">A =
spokeswoman at the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources said yesterday =
that most of the bears in that province also "will be getting up =
later."</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"Verdana">"Our understanding is that the late snow melt over much =
of Ontario will delay the bears emerging from their dens," said Jolanta =
Kowalski.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"Verdana">But Alberta bears already seem to be up and around. =
Some have been seen ambling around Banff National Park, and tracks have =
been reported near Canmore.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">Bears don't go into a deep =
sleep like rodents, who are out like lights during the =
winter.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"Verdana">"In the middle of winter, if you get two or three nice =
days in a row, you could have bears walking around," Mr. Luce =
says.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"Verdana">"They're not active looking for food since their food =
sources are virtually impossible to find. A lot of their diet is based =
on berries and vegetation."</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">The bears pig out in the =
summer and live off their fat in the winter. They begin to slow down in =
the fall and nod off in December.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">A black bear can go for 100 =
days without drinking, eating, exercising or doing much =
else.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"Verdana">Light and warmer temperatures usually wake the =
bears.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"Verdana">"This year, the beginning of spring was colder than =
usual so I think temperature has just pushed them back, despite the =
longer days," Mr. Luce said.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">Other creatures such as =
raccoons, amphibians and reptiles seem to be waking up on =
schedule.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"Verdana">"They're more food-motivated," Mr. Luce =
said.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"Verdana">Bears in the wild that have managed to rouse themselves =
likely woke up because they are peckish.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top:=
 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">"If they weren't quite as =
well prepared, if they're a little bit more hungry, then they're =
probably going to be getting up earlier so they can start looking for =
food," Mr. Luce said.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">The Ecomuseum's three female =
bears - which each weigh around 300 pounds - have been yawning and =
showing other signs of life in the past few days. Mr. Luce says they may =
amble out of their dens on the weekend.</FONT></P><P style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Verdana">"That kind of gets decided =
by them," he said.</FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>=

--Boundary_(ID_IiOmjmcs13To2nN5jhMveg)--

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