Global warming and the shrinking of habitats are keeping brown bears from hibernating!

Brown bears, which have a large population in Turkey, are spending the coldest season without hibernating due to the shrinking of their natural habitats by humans and the effects of global warming.

Hibernation is known as a period when their metabolism slows down, and their breathing and heart rates decrease. This state takes the form of long-term inactivity in "warm-blooded" animals such as bears, bats, squirrels, hedgehogs, ground squirrels, marmots, dormice, and frogs.

Animals that cannot find enough food in winter survive by saving energy during hibernation. These animals use the nutrients they stored in their bodies before entering hibernation.

In recent years, global warming and human activities have appeared to reduce the effect of hibernation in animals, especially brown bears.

Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Cihan, Head of the Department of Internal Medicine at Bursa Uludağ University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, has been conducting research on brown bears in Turkey for 24 years. Cihan stated that bears are included in the group of predatory mammals and are at the top of the food chain.

Cihan noted that hibernation is an important process for bears and explained that these animals need to hibernate to complete their hormonal regulation.

Stating that hibernation is not an obstacle to the reproduction of bears and that they can give birth, Cihan noted, "They feed their cubs in this way and ensure that they are brought out into the world in the spring, in a state where they will be more active after emerging from hibernation. This is very important. Nutritional needs in nature or when they can feed are related to the temperature of the environment. For example, since the rate of finding food in winter decreases, they start feeding in the autumn to build up fat. This creates a preparation for winter, that foodless time, in order to feed their cubs. Their milk also needs a very high fat content."

Prof. Dr. Cihan stated that there have been some problems in the life cycles of bears for many years. He expressed that the primary problem is their inability to reach the food required in their own food chains.

"WE HAVE ENCROACHED TOO MUCH ON THEIR TERRITORY"

Explaining that these animals, whose habitats have been narrowed by humans, are turning to different pursuits, Cihan continued:

"They cannot obtain or find suitable food in their normal habitats, which means it is insufficient. Of course, it stems from us, from mankind. We have encroached so much on their areas and destroyed them so much that the animals cannot find their own food. They are forced to turn to garbage and human food. They are very intelligent animals that are accustomed to easy food, and that is why they are forced to rummage through that trash. One of the reasons they do not hibernate is that they cannot reach the food in their own habitats and have easy access to human food. The other is, of course, global warming. There have not been extreme cold spells, and what happens is that when it does not snow, the opportunity to reach food increases. In this case, they do not hibernate at all."

Cihan reported that brown bears are not animals that hibernate in the true sense, that they wake up periodically during the winter, and get up to leave their dens.

"THEY DO NOT FEEL THE NEED TO HIBERNATE"

While stating that if they can find a very small amount of food, they eat it and continue their sleep, Cihan said, "In other words, it is not a true hibernation, as it is in reptiles, but unfortunately, due to the increase in temperature and the slight increase in the opportunities to find food, they do not feel the need to hibernate during these periods."

To protect brown bears, he recommended that humans should not cause more harm to nature and should not destroy the habitats of living creatures. He also encouraged the implementation of fruit-planting projects in forests.

He emphasized that studies on increasing wild fruits in areas where bears live would also prevent humans from coming into these areas.

"THE FAULT IS OURS AGAIN"

Cihan concluded his words as follows:

"Actually, they never want to come together with us. What happens? When they go hungry, of course, there is human-bear conflict again. This is not the animals' fault, actually; the fault is ours again. If we were to carry out a study that would allow them to find the right food and suitable food areas, believe me, they would not want to be with us either. In our Bursa, in Uludağ, the bear population is in quite good condition; I say good because their increase and presence in their areas is actually very good for us too. The Black Sea Region in Turkey is one of the richest areas in terms of bear population. I think it is necessary to focus heavily on conservation efforts there. Of course, it is necessary to accelerate bear studies and conservation efforts not only in the Black Sea but throughout the entire country. I hope we can help both our magnificent creatures and our people live together in a peaceful way."