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Black bears select a surprisingly small den that has one or more
openings. The most important aspect of a den to a black bear is that it
is in a protected area. The den is small, so that the bear’s own body
heat will warm the space. Den openings are often so narrow that an
adult human would find it difficult to squeeze through them. In New
Mexico, dens are frequently located under outcroppings of large rocks
or under tree roots.
It was believed dens were chosen for their thermal
properties, but most dens are nearly as cold as the surrounding
countryside. Bears gather leaves, grass, and twigs to make insulating
beds on which to curl up, leaving only their well-furred backs and
sides exposed to the cold. They sleep alone with the exception of
mothers with cubs. Most bears use a different den each year. In bad
years, a small percentage of black bears die in dens. Unfortunately,
some young underweight bears will die while in torpor in drought years.
Since urination and defecation don’t occur during hibernation, odor is
not produced. This significantly decreases a mother bear and her cub’s
chances of being found by predators which include mountain lions,
bobcats, coyotes and other black bears that sometimes prey upon the
cubs. |
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