Virginia scientists discover the cues black bears use for hibernation

Researchers have long assumed that the timing of American black bear (Ursus americanus) annual hibernation mostly depends on temperature. However, new research indicates that how the bears know it’s time to hibernate might be more complicated than they once thought. A team from Virginia Tech investigated how temperature and daylight hours interact to influence the species’ hibernation behavior. To do so, the team followed the activity of four wild, pregnant female bears througho