Bear Biology Question

[Diehard0123]

I was wondering if anyone knows the answer to this question.  Bears eat mostly berries and vegitation throughout the spring and summer.  Where do they find the protein to have the energy they need?  Also how do they fatten up on the food they eat.  I am thinking of the bears here in Washington, I think some place like Alaska would be different with all the salmon runs.  It does not seem like they are eating enough meat to support their motabolism out of hibernation.

[bobcat]

That's a good question. I know they do get a lot of protein from insects, and I would think they get the occasional rodent (mouse, squirrel, chipmunk, moles, etc.) Probably don't get many fawns/calves this time of year. I've got a book on black bears in Washington state. I'll see if I can find it and see what it says.

[BC CHASER]

They take vitamins!  No they are scavangers/predators and they do eat grubs and ants which are full of protein!  Good question I would like to hear more.

[saylean]

There is alot of natural sugar in berries, hence the fat...at least to my knowledge...

ive been known to be wrong on occasion.

[PWN Kurt]

There's all sorts of protien sources for them: fawns and elk calfs.  Old and injured elk and deer.  Males will kill and eat juvenille bears.

And, veggies have some protien too.

[billythekidrock]

Lots of good info above.

I know that they still get quite a few fawns as late as September with more protein coming from grubs and larva. And of course most of the fat comes from the sugar in all the berries they consume. When they enter the hyperphagia stage, you would not believe how much food they can consume.

[luvtohnt]

Here is a great read packed full of information. It is very interesting.

Brandon

http://www.mountainnature.com/Wildlife/Bears/BearDiet.htm

[Slack]

GNC, that's where I get my protein... Nah we had a discussion like this a few years ago in Maine, most of their protein, much like humans, comes from fish and meat.  I was reading on line that most of there diet comes from plants and vegetation, but like you said they do need protein to support there metabolism and energy to live.  Often bears will live in areas where they can feed on the fawns and newborn elk, or in spawning grounds for salmon or sucker fish. 

[rasbo]

they eat everything,except my wifes cooking.

[MountainWalk]

Actually, bears do not hibernate, they do what is called estevate. I know it's nitpicky.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

A bears diet is mostly ANTS, did you ever see a spot in the woods where there isn't any? they will tear apart stumps and logs and dig them out of the ground. They pretty much only eat deer and elk during calving time, unless they find one already dead from something else (road-kill, coyote, cougar, etc.) and even then it is the maggots that they like. everything in there diet is a result of opportunitty, if it is there they will eat it. Berrys and such happen during late summer and fall, but they still eat ants any time they come across them. other than that they eat vegetation just like deer or elk.

[Ray]

I don't think anyone mentioned it specifically but it appears bears will eat grass if they have nothing else better around. I was watching some areas this year and it appears that up higher in the mountains when the bears move up and wait for the berries to ripen that their scat is more often grass and other vegetation.

Stiknstringbow, I agree and I have seen that the bears do like to tear apart the tree stumps in clear cuts or downed trees to get at the ants. They seem to also like eating flowers.

I noticed that they also like to eat the berries from Mountain Ash..

I also agree with that article one one point too. It seems that their diet is a changing one with the seasons and what is readily available. I am still learning about bears and I have not figured them all out yet.

[bucklucky]

Doughnuts, they like doughnuts 

[Ray]

Doughnuts, they like doughnuts 

Me too. They must be real smart critters. 

[Bscman]

Doughnuts, they like doughnuts 

I was at one of those drive-thru game "reserve/ranches" a few years back. They were selling slices of bread to feed the bears. INstead, I tossed a few hostess powdered/jelly filled doughnuts out there.

Boy howdy, those bears were fighting over who got the last one. They sure love 'em!!!