Black bears are walking stomachs – if food is scarce, they’ll go looking for it.
Autumn triggers a period of gluttony in bears. During this marathon of eating and drinking, bears forage up to 20 hours and pack on 1 to 2 pounds a day, increasing their body weight by 35 percent. They may drink several gallons of water and consume 20,000 calories in a day. The human equivalent? 80 McDonald’s hamburgers.
Acorns and other nuts are full of fat and protein, and are among a bear’s favorite foods. A hungry bear climbs trees to eat acorns before they drop. Packing on fat is critical before they enter a winter den and sleep through lean months when their preferred foods are not available.
You can learn more about black bears at the Arkansas Wildlife You Tube Channel.