Early hibernation for Helsinki Zoo’s bears: A cozy winter ahead

By admin On Oct 31, 2023

Sleepy bear on a bark mulch bed. Photo: Korkeasaari Zoo / Annika Sorjonen

Helsinki Zoo’s resident bears have surprised everyone by starting their winter hibernation earlier than usual this year, bedding down soundly in the last weekend of October. The 22- and 17-year-old bears, who typically retreat to their dens in mid-November, are already deep in slumber, indicating a shift from their usual routine observed in recent years.

Susan Nuurtila, a seasoned zookeeper at Korkeasaari, the island where Helsinki Zoo is located, confirmed the bears’ early retirement.

“The bears showed signs of tiredness, retreating to their dens and waking only for brief meals. By Thursday, they showed no interest in food, prompting us to close the external hatch of their enclosure. It’s quiet and dark inside now. Over the weekend, we checked, and they are indeed asleep,” Nuurtila explained.

The bears had been actively preparing their winter nests since early October, creating comfortable bedding from materials provided by the keepers, such as wood chips, branches, lichen, and straw. The mother and daughter duo fashioned their dens side by side in adjacent spaces. With windows darkened and a consistently cool temperature maintained indoors, the conditions are perfect for a long, uninterrupted slumber.

Weighing in at an identical 225 kilograms each before dozing off, the bears have built up a substantial layer of fat over the autumn. Their diet has shifted significantly from the usual fare of meat and fish to mainly berries, grain products, and towards the end, porridges, vegetables, and fruits, as their appetite dwindled.

In the wild, it’s challenging for a bear-sized animal to find enough food in snowy landscapes, making hibernation an ingenious solution. In the northern parts of Finland, bears can hibernate for up to six months. At Korkeasaari, however, the bears usually wake up from their winter sleep around February.

Helsinki Zoo, a favorite among locals and tourists alike, ensures that the natural habits and cycles of its animals are respected and replicated as closely as possible, offering insights into these magnificent creatures’ lives. With the bears now in hibernation, the zoo’s winter season takes on a quieter, more introspective ambiance, inviting visitors to reflect on the rhythms of nature and the adaptability of wildlife.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi