Despite a passing attack built around Rex Grossman, a 33-year-old Muhsin Muhammad, Bernard Berrian and Desmond Clark, the Bears were able to ride their defense and special teams to the Super Bowl, where they lost to Indianapolis.
According to the researchers, these changes show that black bears are able to maintain their skeletal structure and strength by suppressing bone loss during hibernation, rather than by generating new bone material.
The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, found that bears are able to suppress the process of calcium release through the changes in levels of two specific enzymes.
During the late-season, in both study areas, roads had less influence on the potential population sizes as bears were able to access habitats away from roads.
Apparently brown bears are able to wrap their minds around this idea, Deecke said, adding, "that's something that we just didn't know about bears".
By the time mother bears are able to resume hunting on the ice in mid-March, they have not eaten anything for at least eight months.
Polar bears are able to satisfy their enormous energy needs and thrive in the Arctic because they are able to digest and assimilate 84% of the protein and 97% of the fat from their blubbery prey.
Although temperate-zone adapted species also suffered from bottlenecks during Pleistocene cold phases, generalists like red foxes and brown bears were able to disperse southwards and to quickly re-colonize suitable habitats after deglaciation [ 36, 38].
"The bear was able to find adequate food resources in an area of high bear density and to have successfully denned through at least the past two winters in its current condition," the post said.
Besides being able to navigate the driver through Japanese traffic, the bear is able to comment on his or her driving style.
