The American black bears in the photograph are part of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Black Bear Research and Monitoring Project. Researchers monitor the health and development of mothers (sows) and cubs through their hibernation from approximately mid-December to early April. Sows both give birth to the cubs and nurse them while in their winter dens.
During hibernation a black bear's body temperature decreases from approximately 104 to 94 degrees Fahrenheit and its metabolism is greatly reduced. Black bears sleep for months without eating, drinking, exercising, or passing wastes. The length and timing of the hibernation relates to food availability and regional weather patterns.
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