Recent sightings of grizzlies and a not-drunk-but-very-sick black bear in Colorado raise awareness we share our space with the mightiest of mammals. The educators at the Vail Valley’s Gore Range Natural Science School sent out this enlightening note last week to help us learn a little more about our wild neighbors:
This time of year it’s not uncommon to read newspaper accounts of black bears showing their face around town in search of food. These accounts are most predictable during lean years, when drought compromises berry production and other food sources. With a daily caloric need (in autumn) hovering around 20,000 calories (the equivalent of 50 Big Macs), it’s no wonder bears are adept at finding their way to our garbage bins and unlocked kitchen doors.
During the fall, bears are obsessive eaters, desperate to put on weight and accumulate a 4-inch layer of fat that sustains them through the long winter. Bears accumulate protein and fat reserves in the fall primarily from fruits, nuts and acorns.
The eating success of female bears is significant and closely tied to reproduction. Bears mate in early summer, but fertilized eggs are not implanted in the uterus until fall. Without sufficient nutrient reserves, fertilized eggs will be rejected and a fetus will not grow.
– Gore Range Natural Science School
Learn more — For info about the Gore Range Natural Science School go online, www.gorerange.org.
