Two brown bears, Umka and Masha, living at the Voronezh Zoo, have their eye on winter sleep yet struggle to commit to it. A local report notes how keepers and veterinarians are watching their autumn routine as the season shifts. The situation reveals not only animal behavior but the subtle influences of the habitat, the caretaking schedule, and the everyday noises that might nudge a bear awake when nature suggests rest. In the cool autumn air, staff monitor every shift in temperature, every change in appetite, and every moment of stillness that could indicate readiness for true torpor. The outcome remains uncertain, but the narrative itself is a useful window into how large predators prepare for the long sleep that marks the deep winter months.
Zookeepers say both Umka and Masha are near the critical body mass needed to sustain a long sleep, roughly twenty kilograms more weight for each bear would support the energy demands of winter torpor. Yet in a nearby enclosure the roosters kept for other purposes crow and alarm the animals, interrupting any moment of quiet. The disturbance seems to matter to the bears, delaying the onset of deep rest. The keepers note that the roosters are not of the same species, but the chorus in the adjacent zone resonates and influences the bears’ patterns. The timing of this disturbance has become a talking point among staff who want to understand how social and environmental factors influence hibernation readiness in captive bears.
Early November brought the first snowfall, prompting the animals to attempt a nap. Pale flakes drifted down, and the bears settled for a moment of quiet. But soon the air warmed again, and the bears woke to resume movement, foraging, or simply watching the surroundings. The episode shows how temperature fluctuations during autumn can alter the pace of preparation for winter in captive wildlife. The staff describe the episode as a test of balance between physiological readiness and external cues. The bears appear to be in good condition, and their body mass continues to rise toward the threshold that would permit a longer period of inactivity during the cold months.
As November progressed, the two bears grew more selective in their meals and reduced their daytime wandering. This shift signals a tilt toward energy conservation, a key sign many animals show before entering torpor. The personnel remain hopeful that the combination of adequate fuel stores and calmer daylight hours will tip the scales toward true rest. There is also an expectation that once the season asserts itself fully, external disturbances such as the nearby rooster chorus may lose their grip on the bears’ patterns. The development is being watched closely by the zoo team, who understand that the transition to winter rest is a complex dance of physiology, environment, and routine.
Deputy Zoo Director Irina Subbotina weighs in on the observation: the animals have reached the mass needed to fall asleep, and they are already choosing preferred foods among those offered. She cautions that this figure represents a baseline rather than a final target, hinting that further gains could occur as winter approaches. The comment underscores a careful approach by the staff, who emphasize that readiness for torpor is not a single moment but a process influenced by feed, activity, temperature, and social context within the zoo. The example from Voronezh mirrors broader patterns seen in other facilities during late autumn, where caretakers monitor weight curves and behavior to support the welfare of large mammals as they prepare for several months of reduced activity.
Earlier in another major Russian zoo, Moscow Zoo, Timofey the Pallas cat has gained weight and thickened his coat to brace for winter, illustrating similar seasonal preparation across species.