What month do bears go into hibernation in Colorado?

November
Make an effort to secure your food sources so that we can keep Colorado beautiful and with lots of bears.” Duncan said the bears will likely go into hibernation sometime around mid-November. For more information on how to live responsibly alongside black bears, visit CPW.state.co.us/bears .

Do black bears in Colorado hibernate?

While winter temperatures in Colorado are often harsh, bears do not hibernate because they are cold, but because their food supply is drastically reduced.

Are bears hibernating in Colorado now?

Most Colorado bears are active from mid-March through early November. When food sources dwindle they head for winter dens. With a nose that’s 100 times more sensitive than ours, a bear can literally smell food five miles away.

What season do black bears hibernate?

winter
When the weather grows cold and the food supply finally dries up, they will retreat to their winter dens. Males bed down around mid-December and emerge in mid-March; females, which give birth during the winter and stay with their cubs for two years, remain in their dens longer, from late November to mid-April.

What months do bears hibernate?

Once the availability of fall foods fade, they will enter their den and begin hibernation (typically later in November, and December). In the late fall and winter months, we remove the BearTracker data to ensure the locations of the bear’s dens are protected.

How big is a 2 year old black bear?

A newborn black bear weighs about eight ounces. A year later, that cub is somewhere between 30 and 70 pounds. A young male, 1-1/2 years old by autumn is likely to weigh between 100 and 120 pounds, while a 2-1/2 year-old will tip the scales at 150 to 170 pounds.

Where do black bears hibernate in Colorado?

dens
Bears will hibernate in excavated dens, under trees, in rock caves or in hollowed-out trees and often will rake leaves, twigs and other plant material into dens as bedding.

What month do bears start to hibernate?

GPS data has also shown that bears often move into their dens, even traversing long distances, in advance of the first significant snow storm. Once the availability of fall foods fade, they will enter their den and begin hibernation (typically later in November, and December).

Where do black bears sleep during the summer?

During summer, bears do sleep at night, but only for short periods. As they are nomadic, they will sleep anywhere they feel safe, including in a meadow or up a tree.

How long do bears hibernate in Colorado?

According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), bears hibernate during the winter because what they usually eat – everything from bugs to nuts to berries – are not available. When bears are in hibernation mode, they don’t eat, drink or even go to the bathroom for 200 days.

What happens if you wake up a bear during hibernation?

If you were to wake up a hibernating animal midwinter, you would be effectively killing it. It would use up so much energy warming itself up in order to awaken that it would have no chance of making it to spring even if it could re-enter hibernation.