Page 29 of Capture the Moment
“Bears are the DIY kings of the animal kingdom,” Coop continued. “Each bear’s winter retreat can be as unique as their personality. Some might go all out on the den upgrades, while others keep it simple.”
Maisie clapped her hands together. “They give it their own personal touch!”
Down the row, Kate noticed how Frankie kept rolling his eyes at Maisie’s exuberance. When his eyes met Kate’s, he straightened up, a sheepish look on his face.
“Does anybody know what happens to a bear’s body during hibernation?” Coop’s gaze swept the room.
Maisie’s hand shot up. “Fun fact: A grizzly bear can gain up to four hundred pounds in preparation for hibernation!”
“You’re right, Maisie,” Coop said. “Anybody have something to add?”
No one did. Kate knew nothing about it. Bears in a zoo didn’t hibernate. No need to.
“When a bear finally settles in for the winter,” Coop said, “its heart rate drops to a mere five beats per minute.”
Maisie burst out with a laugh. “Whoa! That’s slower than my mom’s chilled-out yoga instructor!”
As chuckles rippled through the room, Coop shot Frankie a “don’t do it” look of warning before he could roll his eyes again.
“Exactly, Maisie,” Coop said. “It’s like they go into full chill-out mode. The real magic happens, at least for a pregnant sow, in January or February. Bears give birth in their dens. Mother Nature’s maternity ward right there.”
Kate raised her hand. “How does a bear know when spring has come?”
Coop’s eyes met hers, a subtle pause hanging in the airbefore he replied, “Excellent question. Bears have sensors in their eyes that detect the increased light, signaling their bodies to wake up.”
“Like,” Maisie said, “someone turns on a light and they wake up, ready for breakfast?”
Frankie’s eyes rolled around and around. Now Kate shot him a frown.
“Kind of,” Coop said. “Maybe, more slowly than a light switched on. They wake up hungry. Famished. And that’s the condition the bears are in right now, after this long winter. Male grizzlies emerge from their lair earlier than females. They’re looking for food. So if you encounter a bear while you’re in the park, and chances are that you will, remember a few bear safety tips. Rule number one—never surprise a bear.”
“Surprise a bear?” Maisie furrowed her brow. “But I thought bears were more scared of humans than we are of them.”
“Generally, bears will avoid people. But surprising them might trigger a fight-or-flight response. Hopefully, flight. So make your presence known. Talk or sing as you walk. Some hikers use bells on their packs.”
Kate took this all in.
“If you do see a bear, do not approach it. Stay at least one hundred yards away from it. That’s the length of a football field. Remain calm. Don’t run. A bear can outrun a horse, so you’d better believe that it can outrun you. Don’t make eye contact with it. Walk slowly backward, maybe start talking in a gentle way, so that it realizes you’re not threatening it. Most likely, the bear is only interested in protecting its cubs or guarding its food source. It might try bluffing.”
“Aww, cool!” Frankie said. “Bears play poker.”
Coop released a long-suffering sigh. “Bluffing means a bear will charge and stop. It might huff loudly at you. If so, it’s trying to warn you away.” He cleared his throat. “Finally, whateveryou do, never feed a bear. Bears grow easily accustomed to human food and will become dangerous and unpredictable. Feeding bears causes them to lose their natural instinctive fear of humans and that’s when trouble happens. Remember the mantra—let wildlife be wild.”
“In other words,” Frankie said, “a fed bear is a dead bear.”
Maisie leaned forward to look down the row at him. “What do you mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like.” Dramatically, Frankie drew a line across his neck.
“No!” Maisie gasped. “You don’t mean...”
“What he means,” Coop said in a tight voice, “is if a bear interacts too much with humans, it could end up having to be euthanized.”
“But that’s TERRIBLE,” Maisie said. “It’s not the bear’s fault! It’s the humans’ fault!”
“Ya got that right, kid,” Frankie said.
Still leaning forward in her chair, Maisie squinted at him. “I amnota kid.” She sat back and raised her hand high. “Coop, how often do bears attack people?”
