Montana Summers: How Do Bears Cool Off On A Hot Day?
I am not a fan of hot weather. Growing up in this state, I have become accustomed to having more cool/cold days in a year, than hot ones. For me, the hottest months of summer are always the most miserable. I always say, "If you are cold, you can always throw on another layer of clothing. But, if you are hot, you can only take so much off before it becomes illegal." Which explains why, on hot sunny days, you will find me hiding in my house. Usually in my underwear, hovering over a fan. Thanks to modern technology, humans are allowed to escape the heat and enjoy air conditioning.
The thought has crossed my mind many times before. "How do bears (or other animals for that matter) stay cool in summer?" Unlike us humans, we know that they can't strip down to their underwear. And they cant hover over a fan or air conditioner. So how do hey withstand the hot summer days?
Simple! They do the same thing we do.....Go for a swim.
Imagine seeing a black bear on the beach. Imagine a bear swimming in your favorite swimming hole.
See footage of a mama bear and her two cubs, taking a dip in a lake much similar to Montana's Flathead Lake. Footage taken at Lake Tahoe in Nevada.
Notice the people in the video think they are "SO CUTE." For me, knowing bear safety, all I could think of is "DON'T GET BETWEEN MOM AND HER BABIES."