Game Commission says state’s bears are entering torpor as colder weather settles in.
HARRISBURG, Pa. – With winter settling over Pennsylvania’s woodlands, the state’s black bears are preparing for months of stillness and slumber. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the bears are now entering their seasonal state of torpor — a lighter form of hibernation that allows them to conserve energy while still waking easily if disturbed.
In a post shared on social media Tuesday, the agency described torpor as a “snug in their beds” condition in which a bear’s metabolism and heart rate slow and body temperature drops. Unlike true hibernators such as groundhogs, bears can rouse quickly if startled but will not eat, drink, or relieve themselves for several months.
To sustain themselves through this long fast, bears rely on thick fat reserves accumulated during the fall feeding frenzy known as hyperphagia. In late summer and autumn, they gorge on nuts, berries, and whatever else they can find to build the energy stores that carry them through winter. The Game Commission likened the bears’ late-season appearance to a “broad face and round belly, like a bowlful of jelly.”
Pregnant females give birth while denned
While most bears remain largely dormant through winter, pregnant females will give birth during torpor, waking only briefly to nurse and care for their newborn cubs. As the cubs grow and become more active, mothers may stir in response to their movements before returning to rest.
Wildlife officials say the bear population remains strong across Pennsylvania, with tens of thousands of black bears denning in hollow trees, rock crevices, and even beneath dense brush piles. Game wardens advise residents living near wooded areas to secure garbage and bird feeders to avoid attracting hungry bears before their dens are sealed.
A quiet season in the Commonwealth’s forests
For now, Pennsylvania’s forests will grow quieter as the bears and many other animals settle in for the cold months ahead. The Game Commission closed its post with a nod to the season’s stillness, writing, “Soon the warmth will return, and the days will grow longer. But for now, happy hibernation to all, and to all a good night.”