After months in hibernation, Grouse Mountain’s resident grizzly bears have awakened to signs of spring Thursday.
Emerging through a bed of snow April 29, Grinder and Coola clawed their way into a new season, which they enjoyed by chewing on grass and rolling in the snow.
The bears first burrowed in a den at the Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife November 10. The pair stayed there for their longest winter dormancy since their 2001 arrival – 170 days.
In the wild, bears will hibernate anywhere from a few weeks to six months, depending on snow conditions.
A live stream of the bears’ progress can be followed on the Mountain’s website.
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