When the weather gets colder, what do you do? You probably start wearing warmer clothes like long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and coats.
You might also wear gloves and a hat if it gets below freezing. But do you ever think about moving far away or sleeping for several months? Probably not…
However, many animals do exactly that when the sun sets and the temperature drops. Since animals can’t go to the grocery store to buy food, they have to find a way to survive the cold winter months when their food supply may become scarce.
While some animals grow thicker fur and store food, others have to make a serious decision about how to survive the winter: move or hibernate. The choice depends on their size, energy usage, and diet.
For some animals, it’s easier to migrate to a new area that is warmer or has more food. For example, many bird species fly south in the winter to stay warm and find food sources to last them throughout the winter.
However, for other animals, migrating takes too much energy. Instead, they choose to hunker down and hibernate for the winter.
Cartoons and stories may depict hibernation as a long nap, but it is actually quite different. Animals that hibernate enter a state similar to a coma.
When hibernating, an animal’s breathing and heart rate slow down significantly. Its body temperature drops, sometimes by a large amount. It stops eating and often stops going to the bathroom as well. All of these changes allow the animal to survive by using very little energy.
When you take a nap, your body undergoes minor physical changes during sleep. Sleep is mostly a change in mental state and it is easy to wake up from.
When your alarm goes off, you can usually wake up and be ready to function fairly quickly. However, when animals hibernate, their bodies undergo significant physical changes that are not always easy to wake up from.
In fact, hibernating animals often show signs of sleep deprivation when they come out of hibernation. When an animal wakes up from hibernation, it often needs a lot of sleep over the next few days to return to normal functions.
Not all animals hibernate in the same way. Some animals appear dead and have little activity during the entire hibernation period. These “true” hibernators include woodchucks, bats, and ground squirrels.
Other animals, like bears, may go in and out of hibernation during the winter, waking up more easily and being more active throughout the hibernation period. These “light sleepers” include bears, skunks, raccoons, and opossums.
Even cold-blooded animals, such as snakes, turtles, and frogs, hibernate. Since they can’t warm themselves up, they have to find ways to protect themselves from the cold. Snakes, for example, might go underground. Frogs and turtles, on the other hand, often bury themselves in mud below the frost line.
Give It a Try
Are you ready to hibernate? Find a friend or family member to help you try out the following activities:
If you’re similar to most children, you probably dislike taking naps. However, if you ask your parents, they would likely be eager to have a long nap. Since humans don’t have a specific time of year when food is scarce, there is no need for us to hibernate. Nevertheless, it can still be enjoyable to imagine what it would be like to hibernate. Have you ever wondered how you would prepare for hibernation? Where would you choose to sleep for a couple of months? What items would you bring with you? How would you gather enough food in advance? Share your potential hibernation plan with a friend or family member.
While you’re fueled by your imagination, consider what it would be like if you actually hibernated and slept for three consecutive months. How would you feel when you wake up? What would be the first thing you do? Would you be curious about what has happened while you were asleep? How would you find out? Create a short story about your imaginary hibernation experience.
When we think of hibernation, bears often come to mind. However, bears are not the only animals that hibernate. Explore the article “11 Surprising Animals That Hibernate” online to discover more about other animals that hibernate during the winter.
Sources of Wonder:
– http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/eek/nature/snugsnow.htm
– http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/animals.html
– http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/zoology/all-about-animals/hibernation.htm
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