I tell a gross fact about bears every time I go to a new class. Often, when I go back, students say, “Ms. Yuill, tell the bear one!”. So, here it is (Disclaimer – this may not be 100% factual, however it’s close.) : Bears don’t go to the bathroom in the winter. They hibernate and if they went on the cave floor, it would get dirty and they could get sick. So, in the fall, when they are eating lots of food to get fat (because they don’t eat either), bits of fur and dirt etc. form into a ball and plug their bottom (called a fecal plug) so that they don’t go to the bathroom while they are eating and so ants don’t crawl in while they are sleeping (this may be the not 100% factual part 😉 ). So, don’t meet a bear in the spring because not only is it hungry, but also constipated! Bear cubs, however, do go to the bathroom in the winter, but again not on the cave floor because it would get dirty and they could get sick. So, where do bear cubs go to the bathroom if it’s in the cave and not on the floor? In their mom’s mouth. She licks them clean! The students always say, “EEEEEWWWW – tell another one!”