Some animals hibernate (go into a deep sleep) so they can survive throughout the cold season when the weather is freezing and the food is scarce. Hibernation truly is a clever survival mechanism. Here is a list of 10 animals that hibernate. 10. Wood Frogs 9. Deer Mice 8. Common Poorwills
During the cold of winter, when in hibernation, they actually stop breathing, their heart stops and ice crystals form in their blood. When the weather warms, they defrost, and their lungs and heart go back into action. Pretty amazing! 9. Deer Mice Deer mice have short lives and short torpor (light hibernation) periods.
Common poorwills are the only species of bird that go into true hibernation. A handful of other bird species go into torpor (light hibernation). Common poorwills hibernate when the temperatures get really cold, really hot or when food is scare.
Ironically, bears aren’t true hibernators. They are more like light hibernators. Instead of hibernating, bears go into what is called a torpor. The main difference between a torpor and a hibernation is that during a torpor the animal is easily awoken.
If you saw a frozen frog that had ice crystals on it, that wasn't breathing and didn't have a heartbeat, you would probably think it was dead. If it was a wood frog, it would most likely be in hibernation.
Deer mice have short lives and short torpor (light hibernation) periods. During cold weather, they torpor from morning to late afternoon bundled up with their buddies and then spend the night searching for food. Between their daily torpor and the shared heat from snuggling up together, deer mice are able to save valuable amounts of energy.
Common poorwills are the only species of bird that go into true hibernation. A handful of other bird species go into torpor (light hibernation). Common poorwills hibernate when the temperatures get really cold, really hot or when food is scare. When necessary, they can even hibernate while incubating their eggs.
Most types of ground squirrels hibernate and some do so for nine months a year. They also torpor (light hibernation) during other times of the year for a few days at a time. Ground squirrels have great hibernation spaces. They dig elaborate underground tunnels with different rooms for food storage, sleep and elimination (yes, they have bathrooms).
During the cold winter months, skunks get comfy in their dens and torpor (light hibernation) in the company of their close family. During their few month torpor, they occasionally wake up and come out to scrounge up something to eat.
Many a loving pet owner have cried out in dismay when they found their hamsters dead, only to learn they were actually in torpor (a light hibernation). Once those hamsters were rustled about, they probably awoke pretty grouchy and scared. Hamsters hate being awoken from this state.
Prairie dogs aren't really dogs; they're actually rodents, but they do bark kind of like dogs. They also are really good at surviving cold weather. Depending on the species of prairie dog and the area it lives in, it either hibernates or goes into torpor. White-tailed prairie dogs hibernate through the winter.
Q. During the heat of the day in the desert, many lizards burrow underground to keep cooler. This is an example of a...
Blending into the environment in order to not be seen by either prey or predators.