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Name: Alice M.
Status: other
Age: 30s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: Saturday, November 16, 2002
Question:
I was looking for information on polar bears and came across two conflicting answers on your web site from the archive. The question is whether or not polar bears hibernate, and one answer said yes, one said no. What is the correct answer? (Under zoology, see "Polar bears and hibernating" and "polar bears and winter")


Replies:
I am responsible for the apparently conflicting answers. The first, under "Polar bears in winter" was too hasty, but as you read the second answer closely, not totally wrong. Only female polar bears "hibernate," and it is not true hibernation in that their body temperature remains near normal and they are easily awakened.

J. Elliott

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