They obtain most of their protein from insects, but occasionally eat fawns, or other small animals. Most bears enter a deep sleep starting in late fall. Cubs are born in January. Bear sightings usually begin in early March, but weather conditions can delay this. Newborns and mothers remain denned until April.
Cubs remain with their mothers for a year and a half.
It is illegal to feed or harass any Park wildlife. They die from asphyxiation or digestive track blockages. A human-fed bear has a lifespan of only eight years. Habituated bears lose their natural fear of people. Aggressive bears are sometimes destroyed.