Bears in Belarus get out of winter dormancy

The Head of the Scientific Department of the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, Anastasia Ryzhkova, stated that the staff of the environmental institution found traces of several bears, which suggests that these animals have started to come out of hibernation, BelTA reports

“During the winter route surveys in February, traces of bears were found, but we cannot say that they all woke up completely. The fact is that during the winter thaws, the dens become flooded and the animals get up and look for a dry place, as evidenced by their tracks. Then weather conditions may change, snow or frost may come, and bears hibernate again. At the end of February, when there was a thaw and warm spring weather in April, traces of the first awakened brown bears were found – one or two bears, and another one in early March,” Anastasia Ryzhkova noted.

Bear sleep takes an average of three to four months (more often from December to March, inclusive) and lasts until the beginning of the spring thaw. However, the staff of the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve found bears awake in the middle of this period as well. A camera trap captured one brown bear on December 3rd, 2022, the other was caught on camera at the end of January 2023. 

“Recently, a bear den was found, but the staff did not venture into it because there was a high probability that the animal was inside. Bears usually break branches, lay the dust of leaves under roots or upturned trees, next to large trees and make nest-hut. There are several bears living in the vicinity of the administrative centre. We usually put a camera trap on their path. In one place, the same giant male bear comes out, nicknamed Chernysh [black coloured] because of its characteristic colour. This year, this bear has not come out yet: no camera traps or tracks were recorded in the place where the animal usually grooms its territory,” Anastasia Ryzhkova explained.

Up to 75 brown bears, including young ones, live in the reserve and on the territory of the adjacent hunting farms. Cubs have often appeared on camera trap footage lately. Their traces are also found by the staff of an environmental institution. It is noteworthy that usually a female bear gives birth to one or two cubs, but now triplets have also begun to be noticed. Experts say this suggests that the animals feel quite comfortable and that favourable conditions have been created for them.

Last year, due to the long winter, bears came out of dormancy only by the beginning of April. It is expected that this spring bears will finally wake up in the second half of March.