JACKSON, Wyo. — It’s that time of year again when bears are bulking up on berries, nuts, roots and insects to prepare for the long, cold months ahead.
The Friends of the Bridger-Teton (FBT) wrote on its website that bears enter into a state of hyperphagia for several months before hibernation. Hyper means “over” and phagia means “hunger.” During hyperphagia, a bear might spend 22 hours a day eating and gain up to 4 pounds a day. The goal is to bulk up with enough fat stores to stay healthy throughout the winter.
According to the North American Bear Center, black bears can ingest 15,000 to 20,000 calories per day during hyperphagia.
Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF) Bear Ambassador Gene Palos wrote on FBT’s website that he sees more bears near roads during hyperphagia.
“Bears are searching for easy food, like roadkill and roadside berries,” Palos wrote. “They are trying to eat and get as much food as they can for hibernation and when they find food, they’re way more protective than usual.”
Grizzlies with yearlings could be especially aggressive as they begin foraging around the clock. BTNF noted that visitors should be extra diligent when hiking, camping and recreating on the national forests.
“Recreationists are reminded to be bear aware by controlling pets, hiking in groups, making noise to avoid surprising a bear and to have bear spray readily available as a defense in a close encounter, ” BTNF said previously via press release.
Residents and visitors should be extra diligent about securing attractants at home, too, including bird feeders, pet food, livestock feed, compost, BBQ grills and garbage.
Annually, in the fall, bear enthusiasts can vote for their favorite bulked-up bear of the year during “Fat Bear Week.” The competition crowns a champ that has successfully prepared for winter hibernation, per the National Park Service (NPS). The NPS wrote via Facebook that some of the largest brown bears on Earth make their home at Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska.
“Brace yourselves, bear buffs!” the NPS wrote. “The ultimate bracket competition where the public votes for the bear that achieves peak spherical status, is just around the corner!”
This year, Fat Bear Week will take place from September 23 to 30, and “chubby” Fat Bear Junior will kick off on September 18.
