Fat Storage
Fat storage parallels cash reserves in business - accepting carrying costs and opportunity costs to ensure survival during extended scarcity.
A bear entering hibernation at 400 pounds (insufficient fat) will die in February. A bear entering at 550 pounds (adequate fat) will emerge in April - thin but alive.
Grizzly bears gain 3-4 pounds per day during hyperphagia (August-October), adding 150-200 pounds of fat over 8-10 weeks. Costs include mobility reduction (slower, increased joint stress), cardiovascular load (heart pumps through 50% more mass), opportunity cost (20+ hours daily eating), and metabolic inefficiency (15-25% of calories lost as heat during fat synthesis). Total cost: 25-30% energy loss plus mobility reduction.
Business Application of Fat Storage
Fat storage parallels cash reserves in business - accepting carrying costs and opportunity costs to ensure survival during extended scarcity. Bears survive 5-7 month hibernation by burning 4,000 calories/day from stored fat.