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Name: Frank
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Question:
I was told that when bears prepare to hybernate they need to prepare themselves to prevent from defecating. Is this true?

Replies:
Frankie,

This is true. Bears will eat dirt, pine cones, bark and anything else that would do the job!

Matt Voss ==================================================================== Not really. The metabolism of a hibernating bear is slow enough that defecation probably does not occur. Other hibernators do wake and defecate during hibernation. This article is very informative:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/satoyama/hibernation.html

J. Elliott

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