Do bears sleep at night??

[Kim Capri]

Hello ladies and gentlemen

Okay I have an odd question for everyone here....My girlfriend asked me eariler if bears actually sleep at night time outside of their hibernation period. l've spent at least 15 minutes of my life (which I will never get back ) trying to solve this mystery. It's now driving me nuts and I need to find a definitive scientific answer to this age old question...believe me I've googled this and there's a bunch of people asking the same thing

So any generic bear will do; black, brown, grizzly, polar, pooh whatever. Just give me an answer already

Please submit all answers with links to scientific papers and/or sites.

This will not only help keep my sanity but many others in cyberspace.

Thank you very much

Elle,
Bearly getting any sleep now...

 

[whatisthis]

google it dude

 

[thebuttdance]

well, Elle hmmmmmmmmm... that's an interesting question, let me ponder.... with the magical powers of wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_(non-human)

Sleep in hibernating animals:
"Animals that hibernate are in a state of torpor, differing from sleep. Hibernation markedly reduces the need for sleep, but does not remove it. Hibernating animals end their hibernation a couple of times during the winter so that they can sleep."

And hibernation in humans which I'm gonna do right now zzzzzzzzz:

http://www.livescience.com/health/050421_hibernation.html


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mother_cubs.JPG[/IMG]

 

[thebuttdance]

 

[vancity_cowboy]

no... not if there's food to be had

it's difficult for us to imagine the powerful infuence that the acquisition of food has on a bear. remember they have to put on enough weight to last them through the hiberanation period

 

[storm rider]

Wake a bear up and find out LOL

SR