Bear Wakes Up From Hibernation Due To Unusually Warm Weather

We were complaining about the cold and snow only a few weeks ago, and now I'm seeing people out and about without their jackets and even some guys wearing shorts (only in Michigan would 45 degrees be cause for whipping out the shorts). We're not the only ones noticing the warmth - this Syrian black bear from Garlyn Zoo in Michigan's upper peninsula has too.

Things Have Been HOT

The US has seen a hot streak over the last year. 2023 saw the hottest year on record, followed by the hottest January on record. All that to say: we are in an unseasonably hot period, and it is throwing off things, including this black bear's hibernation schedule. Bears typically hibernate from November/January to February/April. However, due to the warm temperatures, Hutch the Black Bear's instincts have led him to wake up early.

Meet Hutch the Black Bear

If you think of what a bear looks like, that is exactly how this bear looks. Butch looks like the definition of a friend: cute, cuddly, and sleepy! Let me show you. According to Mary Fuller, a worker at the Garlyn Zoo, Hutch emerged for a few days before returning to his routine hibernation. It is apparently "completely normal" and there are "no consequences" for waking up earlier than usual.

GarLyn Zoo Wildlife Park is located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, just outside the town of Naubinway. While the zoo is currently closed for the season, it will reopen on May 1st.