Welcome to 10 Animals That Hibernate!
Torpidity occurs as creatures decelerate their cardiac rhythm and metabolic processes, diminishing energy expenditure. Typically unfolding amid winter’s scarcity of sustenance and frigid temperatures, beings enter a torpid state, adapting to endure the chilly climatic conditions.
Certain creatures plunge into a profound winter slumber, whereas others embrace a more superficial dormancy. The act of retarding heart rates and metabolic functions beyond a twenty-four-hour span characterizes this state of torpidity. Creatures satiate their stomachs to capacity, enhancing their prospects of enduring the wintry environment.
All animals hibernate differently. Even all the mammals that hibernate differ from one another. Obligate and facultative are two types of hibernation.
Obligate hibernation is when animals go into hibernation yearly, irrespective of the temperature. Whether the temperature drops or not, they hibernate as a ritual on a yearly basis. On the other hand, facultative hibernation is when an animal hibernates to survive the cold weather.
Further is a list of 15 animals that hibernate during the winter to survive the low temperatures.
1. Chipmunks
Chipmunks are tiny creatures belonging to the squirrel family. They are around two to six inches in length with a three-inch tail. They are found chiefly in colors of yellow and brown with gray fur along with black and white stripes going down from their necks.
Chipmunks look like squirrel babies, but they aren’t. They are very cheerful and playful animals. They love burrowing and eating nuts. During summer and spring, you’ll find them on the ground or on the tree eating nuts and enjoying themselves.
During winters, this animal goes into hibernation and only wakes up to consume stored food. They burrow a hole in the ground up to three feet deep and ensure it is covered to avoid any predator attacks.
The chipmunks go into a deep sleep during their hibernation period. During the spring and summer, they mostly nibble on their nuts, but during the late summers, they work hard to collect and store food for winter.
2. Bears
Bears look cute and fuzzy, but their looks can be decisive. They are very dangerous animals and prey on other animals, even humans. They tend to get very aggressive when they are hungry.
There are a variety of species of bears, and all can be identified at a small age. They are found in black and brown colors. Some species are even gray. They are huge.
Their flat feet make them climb trees with ease. They are seen roaming around during summers and hibernating during the winters.
Bears hibernate in a den. The den can be under a tree, in a cave, under leaves and bushes, or in crevices of rocks. They eat double the amount of food during late summers and fall to fill up their stomachs to the fullest to survive winters.
Bears go into a heavy deep sleep, and most don’t even wake up till the spring season. The pregnant female bears wake up during January or February to give birth to their offspring.
3. Bats
Bats are tiny animals that look like rats with wings of rubber-like texture. They have very small eyes, making it hard to see during the daytime. They are better at flying at night time.
Their size is minor, ranging from 1.1 to 1.3 inches. They weigh half a pound. They have large wings of 5.9 inches. They are black and are mostly seen flying during the night.
Not all bats hibernate during the winter. Some migrate to warmer areas to survive. Those comfortable in an area decide to stay and hibernate during the winters.
Bats are usually found hibernating in hollow trees, barns, and buildings. They are not human-shy animals. They have no problem co-existing with them. Therefore, they are often found in the attic or basement, where it’s dark and quiet during the winter.
4. Box Turtles
The turtle’s unique shape makes them recognizable even to children. They have a hard shell-like exterior and a soft body residing inside that shell.
They come in various sizes. Many people keep turtles in their homes as a pets. They are wild, not as friendly as cats and dogs or dangerous as wild bears. They hide inside their shells when they feel threatened or under attack.
Box turtles need their peaceful environment to hibernate during the winter. They don’t travel far to hibernate and usually go inside their shells to sleep.
They tend to stop eating for weeks before going into hibernation mode. Turtles hibernate with a clean gastronomical track. They are seen hidden from September or October. Their hibernation periods last three to four months.
5. Bumble Bees
Most people don’t know that bumble bees also hibernate during the winter. They are not commonly seen in outdoor places during cold weather.
They are small in size. They are yellow with black stripes on them. The only difference between bumble bees and honey bees is that they are more extensive in size and fuzz, along with short wings.
All the bees die during the winter. Only the queen is left to hibernate during the cold months. Once the hibernating period is over, she will create a new colony. That is why this Animal belongs to Animals that Hibernate.
The queen bumble bee sleeps during the winter and wakes up during spring. She fills her system up with enough pollen to survive the hibernation period.
6. Garter Snakes
There are many types of snakes. Snakes are venomous and dangerous. Garter snakes are not that dangerous, and few contain mild venom. Many people keep these snakes as pets in their homes.
Garter snakes are almost thirty inches long and can grow up to five feet long. They are often found in various colors but may have yellowish-green colored lines on their front side.
These snakes like to build their den in a greener area, such as a meadow, to prepare for hibernation during the winter. They can travel miles looking for a perfect den. They like to hibernate with other snakes; the more, the better.
7. Hedge Hog
A hedgehog has a prickly back and furry belly. They are often misunderstood as porcupines from a distance. They are minor in size, just like hamsters. Therefore, they are not a common species and are not found in homes as pets.
Their length ranges from five to twelve inches weighing fourteen to thirty-nine ounces. They make grunting sounds like a pig when in search of food. They eat insects, worms, snakes, and snails.
Hedgehog hibernates during the winter season. They fall into a deep sleep and are often seen out of hibernation to find food. They like to hibernate in small areas which are dry and covered.
Their main objective is to stay warm during the winters, and if they find their hibernation habitat cold, they will not make an effort to make it warm but will move to a new place.
Also, the body temperature drops according to the environment. Their heart slows down, and they may stop breathing for a while.
They need to have enough fat stored in their body to survive the winters. For that, they need to weigh at least six hundred grams.
8. Land Snail
Land Snails are tiny creatures that hibernate during the winter. Their body is of a slimy texture with a shell mounted on their back. They have unusual habits of hibernating.
The land snail is sized about three centimeters to twelve inches. They have hard shells around their bodies, just like a turtle. This shell grows with them.
Like a turtle, they hide inside its shell when a snail feels endangered. They do not like the sun or light, and when encountered by it, they may hide inside their shells.
Land snails don’t like frost; therefore, they find their habitat for winter accordingly. They are often seen hibernating under a rock, corners, and even leaves. They may join their snail friends to hibernate together.
When the frost starts, they prepare for hibernation and completely cover themselves. They hide inside their shell and cover the opening with their slime to stay warm during winter. Their hibernation period lasts from four to six months.
9. Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemurs
These dwarf lemurs are cute little creatures with big eyes and human-like hands. They are called fat-tailed because the fat from the food that they consume gets stored in their tails.
They are active during the night and sleep through the day and can grow around 0.6 ounces in weight.
During hibernation, they utilize the fat stored in their bodies from foods they ate in the warm season. They go into deep sleep bringing their heart rate to meager.
10. Wood Frogs
Wood frogs can live through being in a frozen state. They can appear dead but don’t be fooled by the state of the body.
They like to live in forests; you might notice frogs in swamps. If you encounter a frog that does not have a dark mask around its eyes, it’s probably not a wood frog.
Wood frogs can grow in the range of 2 to 2.8 inches. These creatures are not picky when finding a habitat for hibernation. They reside in their existing habitats by burying themselves under leaves.
These frogs stay like this the entire duration of their hibernation. Once spring arrives and the ice from their bodies starts to melt. They bring their heart rate back to normal and start breathing. After their hibernation period, they are good as new—another significant part of Animals that Hibernate.
Wrapping It Up for Animals that Hibernate
The above-mentioned animals are a few of those that hibernate during cold months. Some go into a deep hibernation mode, while others often wake up searching for food. One common thing is that they eat twice the food before hibernation.
They slow their metabolism by decreasing their heart rate and breathing to consume less energy. They find suitable habitats to stay warm and cozy during the cold weather.
Thank you for reading Animals that Hibernate.
Do you like to read more about animals? Have a look at the most endangered once or the cutest animals.
As a little kid, I fell in love with nature, wildlife, and animals. Living in the USA, South Africa, Italy, China and Germany gave me the opportunity to discover the world's Wildlife. My favorite animals are Mountain Gorillas, Siberian Tigers, and Great White Sharks.
I'm a certified PADI Open Water Diver, went to Everest Base Camp and Trekked Gorillas in Uganda. I hold a Master of Science in Economics and Finance.
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