- it is accepted to call hibernation time which the bear spends in the house – a den. During this period it is difficult to animal to get to itself livelihood. The long dream allows to slow down exchange processes and to use the fat stocks which are saved up in a year as a power source.
Bears begin to prepare for a wintering from the middle of summer. For half a year they need to find the place for future dwelling, to equip it and to increase a hypodermic fat.
What dens are
Bear – the great weather forecaster. He feels what will be the coming winter long before. If strong frosts are expected, the predator builds the dwelling as it is possible more deeply. In case of warm weather the den can be located even on the Earth's surface.
On construction of a riding den at a bear several hours leave. On the earth or on snow the animal creates a flooring from coniferous branches, wood and bark. Further it breaks young trees, creating a peculiar tent. Height of such house can reach one and a half meters.
The semi-soil den is under construction on the place of the big rooted-out stub. The bear expands and deepens a hole to the comfortable sizes and covers a bottom of future dwelling branches, needles, bark, a grass and a moss. From above the thick layer of the turf attacks. Soil dens are considered as the most thorough houses. They accommodate deeply underground, keeping a predator in heat. Quite often about an entrance to such den it is possible to find the trees and bushes covered with yellowish hoarfrost. This effect creates hot breath of a bear, adjoining to cold air.
As the bear builds the house
Most often the bear chooses the remote areas, preferring to lodge far away from people. But exceptions when the den can be found in a haystack or the abandoned house meet. Fortunately, this phenomenon very rare. The main construction tool of a bear – his claws. Their length reaches 13 cm that allows to dig a hole for several days. Depending on what paw the predator worked more actively, the den can deviate in any given party. The entrance of the bear house is rather narrow. Gradually extending, it passes into main "room". Length and width of a den allow to be placed comfortably in it. Height of a ceiling equals to distance from a foot of an animal to withers. Such stock is necessary in order that, lying on a floor not to rest against it the head. Having begun construction, the bear gets into a hole the head and goes deep inside, moving in a plastoon way: resting forepaws and having straightened back. The excess earth is thrown out sideways. For secure some bears build several dens nearby from each other to have an opportunity to move. If housing very much is pleasant to a predator, it can use it several years in a row. The most durable dens are under construction under roots of birches. Such houses can be descended and serve the owners not one decade.