Hey bears … it's time to wake up!

The manner in which humans wake up is well-documented. It usually involves half-opened eyes, messy hair, yawning, stretching, and maybe a grumble or two before hitting that snooze button. Still, it’s far more fast-paced than a bear emerging from its den after hibernation. But if bears struggled to get a good night’s sleep like so many people do instead of indulging in six to seven months of what sounds like the best sleep ever, odds are they would be a lot more tempted to crawl back in the cozy hole after snoozing.

In winter many animals are either underground in burrows or hidden in caves. Their body functions slow way down. They don’t breathe as often. Their hearts don’t beat as often, and there is almost no sign of life. These animals’ bodies have sort of turned off for the winter. When a bear is sleeping, its body temperature drops to about 88 degrees.

Mammals that sleep in the winter have a few things in common. They all need to go into their winter sleep with a thick layer of fat. They eat a lot of food during the summer and fall. Some of the food is stored as brown fat. This special fat is found across the animal’s back and shoulders. During the winter, their bodies use the fat like food.

Black bears are the bears you are most likely to see in Idaho. Black bears usually do not dig a den from scratch, but they usually find a tree that has fallen over in the forest. When the tree roots pull out of the ground, a hole is made. After a little molding and lining with grass, the hole makes a nice den for the winter. It also makes a nice place to give birth. Cubs are born around the end of January or first part of February when their mothers are in their winter dens. When the bears leave their winter dens in April or May, the cubs will weigh between four to 10 pounds.

Keep an eye out for black bears when exploring Boundary County’s forests, but don’t be too disappointed if you don’t see one. Black Bears are shy, secretive animals. If they know people are around they usually hide, climb a tree or leave the area.

Grizzly bears are Idaho’s largest and most powerful bear. They are found in the northern part of Idaho and in eastern Idaho close to Yellowstone National Park. Grizzly bears are known for having long claws and a hump between their shoulders.

The muscles and long claws help grizzly bears dig and tear things apart. This comes in handy when looking for food and digging dens. Idaho’s grizzly bears eat more plants than anything else.

Grizzlies usually dig out dens on steep mountain slopes. They stay in their den for five to six months. It’s during this time that females give birth to cubs. Usually two cubs are born. Grizzly bear cubs weigh about 10 ounces when born. Cubs may be little when born but they grow quickly. In April or May, cubs come out of the den with their mother weighing about 20 pounds.

Grizzly bears are a symbol of America’s wild places. Keep an eye out for them if you are hiking in the Cabinet or Selkirk Mountains or exploring around Yellowstone National Park. Just look from a distance. Grizzly bears can be aggressive if they feel threatened.

Whether it’s grizzly or black bears, the male bears emerge from hibernation first, usually at the end of March, and females and cubs are expected about a month later. In April it’s important to be “bear aware” and store dog food, bird food and trash on your property safely out of bears’ reach. Bears just out of hibernation are hungry and they are looking for an easy meal.

Enjoy the beauty of Boundary County and respect its wildlife!