Animals That Hibernate During Winter
Children will love learning about these fascinating animals from around the world that hibernate during the cold winter months.
Animals that hibernate during winter. While bears might be the first that come to mind for years questions have surrounded whether bears are true hibernators. Do you know other animals that hibernate in the winter. There are only 4 species of bear that are hibernators including American Black Bear Asiatic Black Bear Brown Bear and Polar Bear.
This is because many plants stop producing leaves and seeds that animals eat. During the spring the queens wake up and lay eggs for worker bees new queens and male bees to recreate the hive. Most American bumblebees will die during the winter.
During this phase body metabolism and heart rate of the animal go down drastically and the animal practically sleeps for various days to months. Bears go into a torpor during winter months only if they live in cold areas. Unlike animals that stir regularly during hibernation bears can go for 100 days or so without needing to wake to consume or pass anything and they can be aroused much more easily than typical hibernators.
Some animals which hibernate are jumping mouse little brown bat the eastern chipmunk some species of ground squirrels wood frog deer mice skunks hamsters prairie dogs and hedgehogs. During winter months the food becomes scarce or not available at all. Like many other reptiles and amphibians lizards hibernate during the winter because they are cold-blooded animals.
Once winter approaches the old queens worker bees and male bees die repeating the cycle. This is a special very deep sleep. The Winter climate in North America ranges from cold and wet to snowy and windy.
There are plenty of other animals that hibernate though. Smaller animals of prey may move to warmer locations or hibernate. Here are 10 other animals that prefer to take the winter months off.