Many animals hibernate. Discover in this article what they are and why they do it.
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If someone asks you for names of hibernating animals, you probably remember the most relevant ones, the bear and the groundhog. But you want to be better than just two options, and more when bears do not hibernate, they hibernate. Therefore, in this article we give you the keys to hibernation and the main animals that hibernate. After reading these lines, you will have the correct answer.
Hibernation Features
hibernation It is characterized by different factors. On one side, by a strong drop in body temperature approaching room temperature. On the other hand, during hibernation there is a very significant decrease in heart rate, and, by slowing down blood circulation, oxygen consumption is reduced significantly. In addition, it must be taken into account that the conditions for hibernation to occur of animals are: diminishing light, temperature that falls below 6°C for at least 48 hours, and scant food.
Hibernation differs from hibernation by the state of vigilance in which the animal is found, which is withdrawn for the winter period, as well as by the amplitude of the decrease in temperature and metabolic activity. Thus, the bear does not hibernate, but what it does is spend the winter in a shelter.
When the coldest season of the year arrives, with the first snowfalls, the bear retires to its den. Rolls up to limit body heat loss and his heart rate reaches 8 to 12 beats per minute and his respiratory rate is reduced by more than half. If you don’t eat, living off their fat reserves, for a period ranging from 3 to 7 months, depending on the region where it lives, it can nevertheless leave its den, in particular to warm itself in the sun. It is the persistent activity of the brain what characterizes that the bear hibernates and does not hibernate. But, let’s look at animals that do hibernate completely.
The groundhog: a classic of hibernation
The marmot hibernates for almost 6 months, losing more than half of their starting weight. In the fall, eat a lot, so accumulate the fat reserves with which it will live during the hibernation period. He also purges as much as he can to empty his bowel and deworm it. He also builds a mattress of dry grass in his burrow, and makes the entrance blocked by a mound of dirt and grass, up to a meter and a half in length. This makes me keep burrow temperature to a minimum of 4°C.
His body temperature, which is initially 36°C, drops to 7°C. Your heart, which initially beats at 160 beats per minute, slows down to 45 beats per minute and breathe 3 to 4 times per minute. The groundhog wakes up every two or three weeks. to urinate in a part of the gallery that is dedicated to that purpose.
If we talk about hibernating, the groundhog is the first
The hedgehog: hibernates and pricks at the same time
The hedgehog begins to hibernate when they come together three fundamental factors. From one side, males begin to hibernate before the females. On the other hand, hedgehogs build a nest in a pile of dead leaves or they are also embedded between logs. And finally, hedgehog heart rate reach has to reach 20 beats per minute and its temperature drop to 10 ° C. The hibernation of the hedgehog lasts between 4 and 6 months. If they can wake up briefly, they usually stay warm. At the end of hibernation, hedgehogs they lose about 30% of their starting weight. They then regain their strength before starting the breeding season.
If you see a hedgehog sleeping, be careful not to poke yourself
The frog: hibernates and does not jump
most frogs They generally hibernate underwater. Water at 4°C contains more oxygen than warmer water, so they can absorb the little oxygen they need through its permeable skin. There are not a few breeds of frogs that are among the most emblematic animals in danger of extinction.
The frog needs to hibernate in order to reproduce.
The toad: surprisingly hibernates
Toads hibernate in the ground. In Spain, the common toad begins hibernation in October and remains sheltered for about 6 months, in a hole dug by himself, often more than 50 cm deep. We can also find them in scree and rubble, sheltered from frost. By the time he wakes up, he heads to a watering hole for breeding that takes place within the water.
Like frogs, toads also hibernate.
The bat: hibernates upside down
It is true that some bats migrate, but others hibernate. For bats, it is crucial keep the membrane of its wings. Therefore, the level of humidity of the place where they hibernate must be very constant. Whether in a cave or in a barn, the temperature should also be as constant as possible, and that it is free of frost.
All vital functions stop with the exception of breathing, which is very slow, the heart and the metabolism of fats. bat body temperature is only a little higher than that of the place where he is, and his body can get covered in frost, while the energy needed to move again in case of danger it is such that it can compromise the life of this animal.
Never disturb a hibernating bat
Dormouse: sleeps and hibernates
Like the hedgehog, the dormouse goes into hibernation as soon as the temperature drops below 6°C for at least 48 hours. Surely you have heard the expression “sleep like a dog”. And, this animal hibernates for a long time, usually from October to April. To hibernate, this animal establishes its nest on the ground at a depth of between 15 and 60 cm. And, depending on the weather, it can be gone by mid-fall. It hibernates in a group and like other animals, it will only reappear around March or April.
You already know, sleep like a dormouse
Muscardino: a small one that hibernates
Like the dormouse, the muscardino (from the same family as the dormouse) hibernates in groups of about ten individuals and for at least 6 months. For this purpose, it builds a nest in the bushes or in the hollow of a tree.
The muscardine is a great unknown of hibernation
The turtle: an old acquaintance of hibernation
The blood of the tortoise must always be at room temperature. Around 28-30°C, we talk about optimal temperatures for her. If the temperature of the turtle decreases rapidly, between 10 and 15°C, it begins to live in slow motion, and, below 10°C it begins to hibernate and his whole organism is at rest. Below 0°C, it is too cold and the turtle it can die. In hibernation, their immune system is completely at rest. Rodents try to eat the turtles in this process and are therefore a danger. Thus, turtle owners should exercise caution to secure the place where your turtle hibernates.
Turtles are one of the most endangered animals during the hibernation process.
Ants: a better diapause than the cicada
In insects, such as ants, We are not talking purely about hibernation but about diapause. This term designates a physiological state that is characterized by the cessation of egg laying and a decrease in worker activity. The diapause depends on the internal biological clock of each insect, and not so much on the external temperatures, but it can begin before the arrival of winter. In our regions, the ants cease all activity, and remain sheltered in the anthill, hiding in the ground, in cracks or in the wood itself. They do it this way so they can protect from frost. If the water in the ant’s body freezes, its cells are destroyed, causing the insect to die. To protect themselves from the cold, ants also They generate a substance that covers their entire body.
Specimen of ant after its diapause
Do ants hibernate?
Ants, like other insects, do not hibernate, but rather enter a state of diapause.
What is the main trigger for hibernation?
In general, most animals that hibernate do so when temperatures drop drastically.
Can animals die during hibernation?
If the drop in temperatures is very radical and they drop below a certain temperature, the animals can die. This is the case of the turtle, for example.
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