Bears don’t when hibernating
I was yapping the other night to my sister-friend Brenda. At some point in our rambling conversation, I dropped my factoid about hibernating bears.
Sometimes I am guilty of just a bit of hyperbole. Picture this: it’s late; we’ve been yakking for over an hour; we’ve been giggling over stupid people on reality shows like Survivor.
We both agree once again that even though we love to watch Survivor, neither of us would ever dream of participating in such a show. The reason: we need our own bathrooms, bed and regular feedings.
I think Brenda said something about the Survivor contestants wiping their bums on leaves. I segue into my hibernating bear factoid and tell her that if I was a Survivor contestant, you’d never catch me “sticking moss and twigs and dirt up my bum hole so that bugs don’t crawl up there in the night.”
There is a moment of silence as Brenda tries to connect the dots. She says, “who would stick stuff up their bums like that?” To which I reply, “hibernating bears.”
Brenda guffaws loudly and doesn’t believe me. I continue my explanation with pertinent visual description. We both end up snorting with laughter so I stop.
While not precisely correct, check out Wild Animals: bears hibernating for the scientific scoop on why bears do not poop during the entire hibernation period.
The “plug” in the bear’s bum is technically called a tappen. And yes, it does prevent ants and bugs from climbing into the hibernating bears bum hole.
All those stupid little factoids stuck in my head.
Bears don’t poop while hibernating. Bears produce a butt plug which also protects them from insects crawling up their bum hole. But imagine coming out of hibernation.
“Do bears shit in the forest” takes on an entire different perspective when you know about the bear tappen fact, don’t you think?
Last 5 posts in JOURNAL
- Today I began a new journey - November 19th, 2008
- A day to reflect - November 11th, 2008
- Siblings together over five decades - November 8th, 2008
- 102 Canadian women will die this week - October 3rd, 2008
- Room with a view - September 27th, 2008
October 11th, 2006 at 7:20:15 AM
LOL Now I have to wonder who got close enough to a bear’s bumhole to notice this?
October 11th, 2006 at 8:19:48 AM
I was thinking the same thing as Diane????
Cheers from Toronto!
October 11th, 2006 at 1:01:51 PM
Hey Larry…well i am glad to know that someone else knows this slly lttle factoids in their heads too…I knew this one and every time I bring it up..believe me the conversation has to have gone to e very strage place to do so..LOL but like you said after a nite of talking drinking and whatevers the conversation can very easily seem to go there…and of course at first they don’t believe it and then someone always says well I wonder who found this out? doya think they are still living?..LOL….anyway take care..M
October 11th, 2006 at 7:48:56 PM
Wow- All this talk about bears makes me miss one in my BED..
Hey Larry, how are you?
Came to drop by and give you a *hug* ..
Also like the changes to your website
October 12th, 2006 at 1:14:31 AM
ha ha ha…. I learnt something new today. Thanks for the great posts.
Best wishes.
August 8th, 2008 at 5:29:05 AM
Wowww I did not now that well if it makes them loss weight then ookkk wih mee