"Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places. Out of the south cometh the whirlwind. and cold out of the north." Jot 37;8,9.
The black bear, often seen by hikers and campers in forests and mountainous country, is the small. est species of bear in North America, measuring from five to seven feet long and weighing around 300 pounds. It has short legs with powerful claws and just a stub of a tail. Its muzzle is usually tan, and there may be a patch of white on its breast. While technically known as the black bear, it is sometimes light brown or cinnamon in color, but should not be confused with the true brown bear of Alaska, which is the biggest of all.
Timid by nature, these bears avoid people, and it is rare for them to attack a person, unless a mother feels her cubs are in danger. Then she can be vicious with her teeth and claws. This is one reason forest rangers warn people not to feed or get near any of the wild animals.
The bear's diet includes such things as grass, roots, berries, corn and other plant material, as well as fish, small animals, birds and their eggs, ants, bees and their honey. Tearing the hives open, a bear is protected by its thick fur from the bees' stings.
Southern black bears are active throughout the year, but those in the north hibernate (males and females separately) in caves or dens in the fall, remaining until early spring. During this period two, three or four little ones are born. They are about the size of a rat and are hairless and blind for a month or so. Mother's milk is their only food until springtime, when they are about the size of a tomcat.
Coming out of the den, the mother teaches her cubs how to find food and care for themselves. They follow her about like little toy teddy bears. The mother keeps them close by until full grown, which sometimes means sharing her den for another winter.
The cubs, like so- many young, wild animals, are full of pep, wrestling, annoying their mother, climbing small trees and swinging back and forth before jumping off. If a tree is not strong enough for this, they enjoy riding it down to the ground doing this over and over again.
The hibernating of animals is referred to in the opening Bible verse and assures us that God provided for all creatures of earth when He created them.- No one has ever known a bear or other animal to show resentment at the discomfort of cold weather, but all just quietly accept it.
In this they are wiser than people, who complain about discomforts. How much better to turn over every trial to God, remembering that He says, "All things work together for good to them that love God." Rom. 8:2828And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) You do love God and His Son, Jesus Christ, don't you?