What is Delayed Implantation?

Only the coolest part about being a momma bear!  Did you know they are only REALLY pregnant for about 2 months?!  Let me explain...

    North American Black bears usually mate in May and June, however, the cubs are not born until mid January.  So, how are they pregnant for only 2 months you ask?  Delayed Implantation is how.  After mating, the fertilized egg develops into a tiny ball of cells or "blastocyst", at which time development stops and the blastocyst remains unattached in the uterus. If the female gains enough weight in the fall, around 150lbs, the blastocyst IMPLANTS in the uterine wall in late November. Roughly 2 months later... we get the cute and cuddly little cubs (usually 1-3).  If the female fails to gain enough weight, the blastocyst will not implant and pregnancy is terminated. 

    Black bear cubs are born between early January and early February.  Newborn cubs are blind, hairless, and weigh about half a pound and are about the size of a stick of butter!. They locate their mother's nipples and suckle immediately after birth.  Momma bears, or sows, usually have 6 functional mammaries.  The shortened gestation period and later birth of very small young allows bears to shift from transplacental to mammary nourishment of the young and is an adaptation to hardship associated with supporting the cub while hibernating and avoiding food intake.

Bottom line... they get to eat as much as they want AND are only pregnant for 2 months AND have tiny little babies! Oh the life of a momma bear.

Where do the Bears go in the winter?

Many people wonder where all the bears at Yellowstone Bear World go in the winter. The answer is that they all stay right here! Throughout the park there are dens that are set up year round that the bears sleep in. When winter begins to set in the bears gradually disappear into their dens. Some of the bears like to sleep alone, and other like to sleep with their friends. The dens are covered with logs and branches on the top to insulate the area and keep it warm, and then as the snow comes down, it provides more insulation to keep the cold out and the bears warm. So we don’t take the bears anywhere, they stay right at home, nice and cozy all winter long.

Bear Safety Tips

As promised, here are some great tips on how to stay safe when you’re in Bear Country.

1.       Keeping the surrounding area free of bear- attractants. Keep your trash in bear-resistant containers, don’t hang bird-feeders, and do not leave food, grease, or left-overs from meals lying out.  You should also secure pet-food. If you are camping, then store your food in a bag and suspend it from a tree away from your campground. Cook 100 m downwind from your tent. Doing these things will reduce the chance of a bear finding its way to your campground.

2.       Make yourself known. Be noisy. Talk, sing, or just make noise to alert bears that you’re there.  Bears don’t want to run into you anymore than you want to run into them.

3.       Keep all doors and windows locked. Bears can, and will climb through open windows.

4.       Don’t stockpile garbage. Thoroughly burn any and all garbage or dispose of it away from your house, or campsite. Also don’t get the smell of garbage on your clothes.

5.        Stay in groups. If you’re going hiking, or camping, go in larger groups.

6.       Be Aware of your surroundings. Think of the places that bears may like. For example; a berry patch, or a fish filled stream. If these are places where bears are known to be, then be extra aware and sensitive to your surroundings.

7.       Carry Pepper Spray while camping or hiking. You can use this as a first line of defense in a bear encounter.

8.       Never take food or any scented items of any kind into your tent. This can attract a bear into your sleeping quarters.

9.       Do not camp or hike by or on natural corridors that seem to be used by wild animals. Bears use trails like these, and you don’t want to be around them.

10.   And Lastly…Stay ALERT! Becoming distracted, or letting your guard down can lead to an encounter.

*This information was found at bearsmart.com and in Bear-ology by Sylvia Dolson

Bathtime with Corky

Have you ever wondered how bears stay clean? Well Corky is one of our Grizzly Bears and he will show you how he stays lookin' so handsome!

Myth #4: Bears can't run downhill

There is a well-known myth that says that if you're being chased by a bear, then you should run downhill because bears can't run downhill. The myth justifies this conclusion by saying that a bears front legs are shorter than it's hind legs, so it can't run downhill.This is FALSE. Bears can outrun you no matter where you try to run. They can run just as fast downhill as they can uphill. They can actually run over 37 miles per hour! That's FAST!!! So don't try running downhill...it wont help. Just stay smart in bear country and you'll be fine!   (this information was found in Bear-ology by Sylvia Dolson)

Myth #3: If a Bear is standing on its hind legs, then it is getting ready to charge you....run!!!

This myth couldn't be more false. Bears can see, hear, and smell better standing up than they can when they are down on all four legs. So when they are standing up they are just trying to see what is in front of them. Cubs especially stand up a lot just to see over the grass. However, there are signs that do indicate that a bear is going to attack. Those signs include: direct eye contact, hanging its head low with its ears laid back, and making woofing, grunting, moaning, or barking sounds. These all indicate that the bear feels threatened. Come back later to find out what to do if you find yourself in an encounter with a bear, but for now be assured that a bear on 2 legs only means “I sense something interesting!!!”

Myth 2: If charged by a Bear, climb a tree

 This one is relatively simple to answer....Bears are actually excellent climbers! Black Bears are the better climbers between Black Bears and Grizzlies, but Grizzlies can also climb trees, just not as fast as a Black Bear. Moral of the story: don't climb a tree if a bear charges you...they'll follow you up there, and then you'll be stuck up a tree with a bear!

Myth #1: Bears have bad eyesight

This is actually a common misconception. Yes, bears do have an amazing sense of smell, but it does not make up for a lack of vision because they actually have excellent eyesight. Bears can see just as well as humans do during the daytime, but it is during the night that their fantastic vision pulls out all the stops. Like your family’s dog or cat, bears have amazing night vision. There is a reflective membrane on the back of their eye called the tapetum lucidum which reflects light and causes light sensitive cells to react a second time to the light and therefore greatly enhances their vision at night. This is why if you see a picture of them at night, their eyes look greenish.  So don’t be fooled….those bears will probably see you before you see them! (info found in "Bear-ology" by Sylvia Dolson)

Bear Myths? Or Bear Facts?

The next several posts will be about the common myths that are well known about bears. Hopefully we will be able to dispel some of the common misconceptions about our furry friends.

Do you know where Teddy bears come from?

     Most of us have had a Teddy bear that we cuddled with, that comforted us when we were scared, or that was a playmate in some of our wild adventures as children, but how many of us actually know why they are called "teddy bears"? Who is Teddy? Why are these cute little stuffed animals named after him? Well here are some answers!

     Theodore Roosevelt was President of the United States in the early nineteen hundreds, and he went by the nickname "Teddy". In 1902 He was hunting for bears in Mississippi, but after a long time and no success his friends decided to track down a bear that the President could shoot so that he wouldn't come back from the hunt empty handed. They managed to find and corner a Black Bear and tied him to a tree for the President to kill. President Roosevelt refused to kill the animal himself, but told the others to kill it to put it out of its misery. News traveled fast, and soon there was a political cartoon of this event in the newspapers. Morris Michtom was a businessman in New York who's attention was caught by the story. His wife designed a toy bear and Michtom wrote and asked President Roosevelt if they could name it after him. President Roosevelt agreed and thats how we got "Teddy bears"! (this information was found in Bear-ology by Sylvia Dolson)

Barrett and the tree

The trees in Bear World have protective sheeting wrapped around the trunks so that the bears cannot climb the trees. This is for the safety of the bears, and so to protect the trees, but sometimes the bears just wanna climb a tree. Barrett, one of the cubs, decided he was bound and determined to climb the tree in his exhibit and nothing, not even the sheeting was going to stop him. He began trying to jump high enough to get above the sheeting. When that obviously wasn't going to work, he started prying the metal off....silly bears...

A Brief Background

What does Yellowstone Bear World have to offer you may wonder…well how about a petting zoo full of adorable animals that just want some attention? Animals that aren’t usually found in petting zoos…Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer, Pigs, Turkeys, Chickens, Baby Deer, and Peacocks to boot! Besides the animals in the petting zoo, there are also six baby bear cubs who are just begging for attention. You can watch them while they play with each other, and you can even bottle-feed the cubs! The animals out in the drive-through area are individual, unique, and may surprise you with their antics and personalities. All of our animals were born in captivity, with the exception of Stiltz, the Moose, who came to us as a baby. Each animal has their own personality that is just waiting to be discovered!

Welcome!

We’ve all driven past Yellowstone Bear World, and a lot of us have even driven through the park to see all the animals, but have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes? What happens when the gates close, the lights go out, and those adorable bears have “gone to bed”? Well then you’re in the right place! This Blog is dedicated to all those events that will make you smile, laugh, and want to visit Bear World over and over again. Come back and read the blog and see what mischief we and our wild “co-workers” are up to!