Welcome back to Myth Monday!

It’s that time of the week, time to learn (or relearn— no judgment here) about a topic near and dear to all of our hearts: BEARS! Specifically, sleepy bears.

Now if I were to ask you what bears do in the winter, what would you say? You’re wrong! Well if you said “hibernate,” then you’re wrong. If you said “torpor,” let’s be friends. That’s right, bears don’t actually hibernate in the winter, they go into a state of torpor. Let me explain more.

Kuma resting his eyes.

This Week’s Myth: “Bears hibernate.”

What? How can that be a myth? Bears go to sleep in the fall when they’re big and fluffy, sleep all winter, and come back out in the spring all lean and hungry.

That’s true— kind of. A successful bear does tend to add on a few pounds (quite a few pounds) before the winter season, in preparation for declining food sources to come. However, when winter comes, bears aren’t necessarily sleeping the whole time, which is what is implied with hibernation. Bears actually enter a state of torpor. During this time, they limit their activity which decreases their metabolism, heart rate, body temperature, and respiration rate. This allows them to conserve as much energy as possible. They enter a light state of sleep called torpor!

Hugo cuddling up with a log.

So what’s the difference between hibernation and torpor?

Hibernation is characterized as a deep sleep that significantly slows down the animal’s metabolism to conserve energy. This state can last from weeks to months, and animals that hibernate are very slow to wake up. Some true hibernators are chipmunks, groundhogs, bats, hedgehogs, etc.

Torpor is characterized by a light state of sleep that lasts hours to days. During this time, the animal’s metabolism drops, but not as significantly as is seen in hibernation. Animals in torpor can wake up much faster than animals in hibernation in response to environmental changes.

Uli napping in one of her 18 day beds.

Why It Matters — Especially for Wildlife Education

Is just knowing the correct answer at your next trivia night not enough?

Okay, here’s why it really matters!

Better understanding = better care. Knowing that bears go into torpor (not true hibernation) helps scientists and wildlife professionals monitor their health and behavior more accurately during winter months.

Respecting wild spaces. Bears in torpor can still wake up if disturbed. Assuming they’re in a deep, unbothered sleep could lead to habitat disruption or unsafe encounters—for them and for us.

More informed conservation. Conservation strategies depend on understanding species-specific behaviors. Mislabeling bear behavior could lead to poor planning or misguided protection efforts.

Because fun facts make you cool. Let’s be real—correcting someone with “Actually, bears go into torpor” is a power move. Instant trivia night MVP.