As summer reaches its end and fall is on its way, many animals will start to get ready to hibernate. Animals of all kinds hibernate or enter into a similar state in order to survive the extreme temperatures that winter brings.1
During hibernation, the animal’s body will slow down processes and reduce body temperature so they don’t use a lot of energy.2
Check out some North American animals that enter hibernation or something similar to survive the winter:
- Black Bears – These guys enter a state called torpor, which is similar to hibernation, but allows them to wake up quickly if they need to. They’ll hide in a den and survive off their stored fat.1&2
- Bats – Some bats will migrate and others will hibernate. Bats that hibernate will eat a ton before winter comes and store fat to live off of.2&3
- Chipmunks – Chipmunks will gather a bunch of food and store it where they hunker down. Every few days they’ll wake up and eat, before entering back into this special state.2
- Hermit Crabs – When temperatures drop below 68 degrees, hermit crabs will hibernate. They can do so for weeks or months at a time. However, they’re at risk if temperatures drop much lower.3
- Groundhogs – These animals truly hibernate. They survive off their fat stores and will hibernate until the weather gets warm.2
- Salamanders – If they need to survive through frosty weather, they’ll hibernate, usually within vegetation.3
- Deer Mice – Deer mice tend to go into torpor like black bears do, but only for parts of the day until they become active again.1
Check out more: How Do Mammals Regulate Their Body Temperature?