According to European folklore, February 2 is the day when we can predict the coming of spring with the help of bears. If bears leave their caves that day in clear weather and see their shadow, they will get scared and hurry back in – meaning winter will last a few more weeks –; if, however, the weather is gloomy and they do not cast a shadow, they stay out, marking the end of winter.
One of the most frequent bear-related questions we get from visitors is whether bears in human care hibernate. The answer is a resounding no as they are simply not forced to do so. Zoo bears are regularly fed plenty of appropriate fed, so they do not have to worry about managing their own reserves. Also, hibernation in bears does not involve such a deep sleep as we would think. While body temperature in hedgehogs, dormice, gophers or bats drops significantly during hibernation, bears only slow down their heartbeat and breathing, in addition to a stop in feeding.
This kind of weather prediction is traditionally done with European brown bears at zoos, but we assure you that our Asian black bear named Dönci has been an equally proficient meteorologist for decades. Since she did not even leave her cave this morning despite being treated to a mighty fine breakfast, we can expect a long winter if we are to trust her skills. Hopefully, she will be more active during this weekend’s Bear Festival.
Zoo Debrecen
Picture: Dönci the bear.
