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Today I learned that adult hibernating bears form a "plug" so they don't poop in the den.
But what about the babies? What about the mess they make in the confines of the den?
Mr. Google was no help here.
According to research on hibernating bear physiology the female ingests her cub's excreta. She needs to clean them regardless. The amount they produce isn't much as cubs that age are tiny and getting their nutrition from nursing only. No solids. Not only can mom reclaim most of the water and quite a bit of the nutrients she expends from nursing the cubs, but it would also keep the den cleaner.
I know that mother cats clean up the mess from the kittens until they are ready to start leaving the nest. She just washes off their bottoms every so often. The waste is just from her milk so there's nothing too unpleasant.
But I don't know how long bear cubs stay in the den or if the mother brings them solid food while they are there.
But they are nursing. Some of what nursing infants take in must come out.
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