WhittleTykes - The Longest Nap Ever Part One

Naps, yuck! Could it get any worse than that? Well, actually it could. How about a nap that lasts 5 whole months? Without waking up to eat or drink anything? And you slept outside during wintertime when it's freezing cold, without blankets, pillows, or even a bed to sleep on?

"Count me out," you might say.

But did you know bears are forced to take naps like that? That's right, bears have to take very long naps, but lucky for them, only once a year!

Winter is a very scary time for bears. There's little food to hunt and it's too cold for them. Therefore, the best way to beat the cold weather is to take a long winter nap, called hibernation (hi-bur-nay-shun).

In the fall bears get ready for hibernation by gobbling lots of food, TONS! They eat so much that they could gain 150 pounds in only two months! That's how they survive the cold, by making a layer of fat. The fat is like a soft, thick blanket; it keeps them warm.

After the bears have finished fattening up, it's time for hibernation. They find a quiet cave or a hollow tree and nest inside. They can also be found under large boulders or brush piles.