Cuddly Brown Bears at Wild Park Knuell Stir from Winter Slumber
- Bears emerging from winter slumber in their natural habitat
Woke up from their long winter snooze, the brown bears at Wild Park Knuell have shed their winter coats and are raring to go! As park director Wolfgang Froehlich revealed, the trio—Balu, Onni, and Linnea—spent approximately three lazy months tucked away in their enclosures, getting their beauty sleep and sipping on the odd drink. The diligent zookeepers periodically gave them a check-up to ensure they were in tip-top shape.
The bears have now fully awakened, with Froehlich adding, "We only release them once they're wide awake." They have been transferred to the expansive communal enclosure, where they share space with their canine counterparts—a motley crew of five European wolves. The curious wolves gave a friendly nod, circled their bear pals a few times, but went back to their usual antics without much fuss.
Snoozing season
Contrary to common belief, hibernation isn't a continuous deep sleep that lasts throughout the winter. Animals conserve energy by occasionally waking up, taking fluids, and in some cases, even noshing on snacks. "Bears only hydrate, they don't snack," explained Froehlich. Though their body temperature remains steady, their metabolism slows down substantially.
On the other hand, true hibernation involves a pronounced drop in body temperature, heart and respiratory rates, and metabolism. Froehlich elaborated, "Their body temperature plummets, their breathing and heart rate slow to a crawl, and their metabolic activity plummets as well."
Gotta go, bears!
The brown bear trio hinted at the onset of hibernation in early/mid-December, with the park staff promptly setting up their cozy beds. The bears' departure comes around late February to early March, but history has shown that there have been winters where the bears chose to stay up late instead.
The bears are now accepting visitors once more. For the time being, they will be let out into the large communal enclosure one at a time. Froehlig adds, "This is still a safety measure. Little bear cub Linnea isn't the climbing type yet, and we want to avoid any mishaps." From Monday to Friday, Onni and Linnea claim the outdoor enclosure in the daytime, while Balu steps into the limelight in the afternoon. On weekends, it's the other way around.
- Hibernation
- Brown Bear
- Wild park
- Homberg
- Zookeeper
- Wolves
- The following are to be considered: the bears' routine during the afternoon, as Balu, the brown bear, is ready to step into the limelight at that time.
- Although bears don't snack during hibernation, they do occasionally wake up to take fluids, a fact confirmed by the zookeeper at Wild Park Knuell.
- After their winter slumber and before hibernation, the park staff prepares cozy beds for the brown bears in their enclosures, ensuring they're comfortable and ready for sleep.
