Extra Furry Black Bear
Does the weather get so cold on Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge that a resident black bear (Ursus americanus) needs the extra furry coat as shown in the photo below? Last December (2022) the temperatures dropped from 60F to 18F in a 2 day period. And there was 3 weeks where the temperature went from the 50's and 60s during the day down to freezing or near-freezing at night. Black bears in this area do not hibernate. But they do slow down and sometimes go into a state of torpor. Their metabolic rate, mental activity and body temperature all drop. Especially in torpor an extra furry coat could come in handy.
