π» What does a bear eat while hibernating?
Bears eat their fill in autumn and snooze all winter. Let's find out how this big forest friend gets through the cold season.
π· A black bear munching on dandelions in a spring meadow. Look at its black fur and light brown muzzle.
What kind of animal is the bear?
The bear in the photo is an American black bear, which lives in the forests of North America. It's the most common bear there, and its short, curved claws make it a great tree climber. Despite the name, not every black bear is black. Some have brown or cinnamon fur, and a very few even have white fur. The moon bear of Korea's Jirisan Mountain is a different kind of bear from Asia, with a white crescent-moon mark on its chest.
Black bears are omnivores that eat grass, fresh shoots, berries, acorns and insects. In spring, right after waking from hibernation, there isn't much food around, so they munch on soft plants like the dandelions in the photo.
During the cold winter, bears hibernate in dens. For the months they sleep, they don't eat or drink anything at all. They survive on the fat they stored by eating lots of food in autumn, and their hearts beat slowly to save energy.
Amazingly, mother bears give birth inside their winter dens. The newborn cubs are very small, but they grow quickly on their mother's milk until spring. And yes, bears really do love honey. The honey and larvae inside a beehive are a nutritious treat for a bear.
π Things to observe
- Find the plant in the black bear's mouth in the photo. What flower's stem could it be?
- Black bears have no big hump on their shoulders, so their back makes a smooth curve. Trace the shape of its back in the photo.
- Look up other animals that hibernate in winter.
ποΈ Tips for drawing together with your child
- Draw two big circles for the head and body, then add small round ears.
- Color the body black and make just the muzzle light brown to turn it into a black bear.
- Fill the whole picture cozily with no empty spots and add a honey pot, and Auntie Honeypot will be thrilled.
π¬ Let's talk about it
- If you slept for months, what would you do first when you woke up?
- Some black bears have brown fur. What color bear would you like to draw?
πͺ In the game: Auntie Honeypot
In Animal Drawing Shop, the bear visits as a customer named βAuntie Honeypot.β Auntie Honeypot asks for pictures on themes like a honey pot, a winter forest, a beehive, and loves it when you fill the canvas with no empty spots. Use plenty of the customer's favorite colors and draw with care to earn more coins. Try drawing with the real animal's features in mind!
Favorite colors: brownyellow