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How animals prepare for winter (pictures). Animals that hibernate Animals that hibernate

With the help of hibernation, many animals adapt and adapt to winter. As soon as they see the first white fluffy snowflakes, the inhabitants of the fields and forests fall into hibernation, which can be described as a kind of economical mode.

At this time, the body is rebuilt and some changes occur in it: the heartbeat slows down greatly, the metabolism decreases by 20-100 times, and the body temperature is approximately compared with the temperature environment.

Hamsters prefer to winter alone. They cover all entrances and exits in their mink with earth. During the whole winter they wake up only a few times. Thrifty animals do this in order to make sure that all their food is in place, no one took it away, and, of course, to refresh themselves. Hamster burrows have many small chambers filled with various seeds and grains.

Marmots winter with the whole family. More than ten adults usually hibernate in one hole. Before the onset of hibernation, these animals take care of the comfort of the mink and warm it with hay. Their burrows are tight. Having prepared the dwelling for wintering, they fall asleep and wake up only in the spring, when it gets warmer outside. Since they do not wake up to eat in winter, they do not stock up on food.

Hedgehogs also equip their home before winter, they usually warm it with grass, leaves, moss. Having finished the preparatory work, the hedgehog climbs into the mink, curls up in a ball and falls asleep. Hibernation in these animals lasts more than six months. During wintering, hedgehogs do not wake up, do not eat, and do not even move.

They prepare for winter in advance, in the fall they begin to eat frogs, mice, lizards, beetles and all kinds of forest fruits and berries in large quantities. Thanks to enhanced nutrition, the badger fattens up fat, the weight of which is several kilograms. It serves as a source of life for the animal during prolonged hibernation. This animal can make a hole easily and simply, one day is enough for it. Then the badger drags leaves into his dwelling, from which he makes a bed for himself, on which he spends the winter. Sometimes a badger winters not alone, it may have guests, for example, a raccoon. Badgers are well disposed to such a neighborhood, because it is warmer together.

Before the onset of winter, they try to bring as much food as possible into the mink, which they protect and cherish until the onset of spring, since it is in spring that these animals mating season. Their reserves can reach five kilograms of seeds, and they carefully choose the seeds so that they are not spoiled. Chipmunks are very greedy animals. In winter, they eat only in extreme cases, when they are already completely exhausted by hunger and cold. But in the spring, not a single animal has such food reserves as a chipmunk has.

Everyone must have heard that in winter the bear sucks its paw. This is true, but he does this because the skin on his paws itches and the bear thus licks off the keratinized part of the skin. These animals prepare for hibernation, they equip their lair, insulating it with branches, weeds, moss, cones. The bear does not forget about the bed, which he makes from the same materials. Before falling asleep, the bear walks around the area around the den, carefully examines it, and then, making sure that everything is in order and there is no danger, it begins to move back to the den, thus covering its tracks. they do not want to be disturbed during hibernation.

The last few weeks before the onset of cold weather, bears begin to actively eat everything edible. They do this in order to gain as much fat as possible. First of all, they try to eat more high-calorie foods, which include fish and nuts. At this time, the amount of food consumed by these animals increases three times. Shortly before hibernation itself, they switch to a vegetarian diet, eat the stems and roots of plants, the amount of food consumed is very small during this period. As a result, the bear's stomach gradually empties and seals. The bear can now hibernate. But their sleep is not strong, but sensitive and alert, so that in case of danger or the appearance of an enemy, they should be on the alert. The body temperature of these animals decreases, and the body is warmed by fat.

Bears practically do not sleep in winter, because during this period they give birth to cubs, and several babies appear during the winter. Offspring grow very slowly. The body of the female during this period is configured so that the cubs are fed and warmed up until spring. The she-bear hibernates without water and food, so at the end of the poor winter, a starving and emaciated animal greedily eats even the remains of lingonberries and cranberries.

Sleep in males is disturbing, they listen with alertness to external sounds. These animals will not let anyone into their lair on near distance. Sometimes they can get out of the den to make sure that there is no danger nearby. If the den seemed to the animal too cold, damp, or it was simply uncomfortable for him there, then the bear can change its home. However, it is almost impossible to find a new lair in winter, and even a free and comfortable one.

or animal hibernation.
What animals and birds hibernate and why!?
Many animals adapt to changes in their environment. One such adaptation is hibernation during the winter. Let's learn more about animals that hibernate and what method they choose to keep warm and how they deal with other issues during a cold.
Hibernation, also known as "hibernation", is a state of deep sleep or slumber that an animal undergoes during the cold months of winter. During this phase, the animal's metabolism and heart rate are drastically reduced, and the animal practically sleeps for days to months.
There are two types of hibernation, namely "true" hibernation and torpor, or temporary hibernation. In true hibernation, the animal falls into such a deep sleep that it appears to have died. Body temperature, respiration and heart rate drops. Numbness is a state short sleep, where the heart rate and body temperature decrease, but the animal is able to move. There are different types of hibernation and not all animals enter a complete state of hibernation.

Adaptation of hibernating animals, why do animals hibernate?
The only reason some animals hibernate is to try to get away from harsh weather conditions in winter period. Both warm-blooded and cold-blooded animals overwinter in the winter. Some species of fish, amphibians, and insects also survive the cold months of winter through hibernation. Before falling into hibernation, animals use the following adaptation methods.
Before the onset of winter, the animal eats a lot of food and stores it in the body as fat. When it is hibernated, the animal uses this fat to survive the frightening days.

Body temperature drops to match outside temperature
They go into deep sleep and almost appear to be dead as breathing and heart rate slow down.
It is also important to note that not all animals go to sleep during the winter. Hibernation, characterized by a reduced metabolic rate and inactivity, is a response to severely dry conditions. North American desert animals such as turtles, crocodiles, frogs, and salamanders go through a hibernation cycle.

List of mammals, which animals and birds fall into hibernation?
There are many animals that undergo deep sleep during the winter to protect themselves from freezing. The following is a list of animals that become inactive during the winter, using this as a survival method. They resume their vital activity as soon as the cold, winter months are over.

Do bats hibernate
Hibernation Duration: September to April
The only flying mammals the bats, the longest true "hibernators". Some species, such as the great brown bat, are known to hibernate for long periods of sixty to eighty days. During this time, they live off the fat stored in their bodies and their heart rate drops from 400 beats per minute to 25 beats per minute. From February to March, some bats leave their place where they hibernate to find food and water. By that time, most bats loses about half of its weight.

Does hedgehog hibernate?
Duration of hibernation: from November to the end of March

Hedgehogs are spiny mammals that live in Europe, Africa, New Zealand and Asia. Normally, hedgehogs maintain a constant body temperature, i.e. 35 degrees Celsius during the summer, but at the beginning of winter, their temperature drops to 6 degrees in order to cope with food shortages. Hedgehogs go into hibernation for about 2 to 5 months. Before hibernating, they make a nest out of leaves, grass, and various other plants. During hibernation, the hedgehog practically does not breathe, taking only one breath every few minutes. His body temperature which is usually around 35°C, drops sharply to 10°C. chemical reactions are reduced to 75%, fat reserves become the only source of livelihood.

When does a bear hibernate and how long does it sleep?
Duration of Hibernation: Bear hibernation ranges from a few days or weeks to 6 months or more. The difference is due to latitude and temperature variations.
Bears are a classic example of animals that undergo hibernation. Bears are found everywhere, from swamps and mountains to cold Arctic regions. Before winter arrives, the bear fights for an appropriate place to spend the cold months in. Once a place is found, he eats a huge amount of food and stores it in his body as fat. During the few months it spends hibernating, the bear uses up the accumulated fat until the end of winter. Meanwhile, he does not eat, drink, or defecate during this period. Unlike small "hibernators" like squirrels and the bear's body temperature decreases by 6 °C. However, oxygen supply and metabolism plummet by nearly 75%.

Does the gopher hibernate and how long does it sleep?
Hibernation Duration: Five to six months in winter or summer (depending on location)
hibernation type: torpor, hibernation
There are about sixty-two species of long healthy ground rodents. Among them, non-tropical ground squirrels, which are found in temperate latitudes in North America, Eurasia and some regions in Africa are known to hibernate. Some known species, including the American red squirrel from the North and Central American evergreen forests, the Arctic squirrel in the tundra, and the Mojave ground squirrel from the Mojave Desert in California.
During hibernation, they go to their lairs where they lower their body temperature so that it is only about one or two degrees warmer than the temperature outside. They curl up into a ball with their head, hiding between their legs and tail. Heartbeat and breathing slows down. Once a week gophers wake up for a while, about 12-20 hours, after which they return to hibernation again.

Dormouse or dormice (family of mammals of the rodent order)
Hibernation type: True hibernation.
Characterized by their bright golden color and small size, these rodents hibernate in the ground in their nests. They roll into a tight ball and lower body temperature, respiration and heart rate during this period.

Does the groundhog hibernate and how long does it sleep?
Duration of hibernation: from November to March or early April
Hibernation Type: True hibernation
Also known as the woodchuck, it is the third largest rodent in North America. This animal spends half of the year hibernating. He maintains a body temperature of 5°C and breathes only once every six minutes.
In addition to this, some animals like hamsters, badgers, skunks, and raccoons do not go into true hibernation, but are usually inactive for four to five months or go into a torpor. During the milder winter months, these animals can be active.
List of reptiles, mollusks and amphibians that hibernate
Unlike warm-blooded animals, reptiles and other ectothermic creatures cannot create their own body heat and must obtain it from their environment. This, along with the lack of food, is the reason why they have to go into hibernation.

Does the frog hibernate and how long does it sleep?
Hibernation Duration: Late October to January
Frogs living in cold climates overwinter in small streams, log cracks, and rocky areas during the winter. They store glucose in the body, which keeps them from getting frostbite. Some of the frog species even hibernate underwater. Toads are cold-blooded, nocturnal creatures. Their hibernation period starts from October, and some toads are known to sleep for a very long time, about three to four years. They survive on fats that have been stored in the body during the warmer months.

Does a snail hibernate and how long does it sleep?
Hibernation Duration: October to April
Hibernation Type: True Hibernation, Summer Hibernation
Many species of snails hibernate during the cold months. They do this by covering their bodies with a thin layer of mucus, and live off the body fat. This keeps them from dehydration. They thus bury themselves by closing the entrance of their shells with mucus, which hardens into tough skin. This prevents predators from harming her during hibernation. In case of drought, some snails are able to spend the summer hibernating.

Does the snake hibernate and how long does it sleep?
Hibernation duration: Depends on the temperature of the area.
Hibernation Type: Wintering
Unlike mammals, hibernation in snakes is known as hibernation. In most cases, a snake's chances of survival depend on how well it evades frost. It is for this reason that they crawl into rock crevices, holes in the ground, and stumps during their dormant period. During this phase, the snake has an extremely slow metabolism and is unable to digest food. Some species of snakes hibernate in groups to protect themselves from the cold. These snakes create certain groups of hibernators, which can, in some cases, stick together at any time.

Does it hibernate box turtle And how long does she sleep?
Duration of hibernation: From mid-October to the end of April
Hibernation Type: Wintering
When food becomes scarce during the cold months, turtles wild nature hibernate. Digestion slows down and the immune system works less efficiently. The box turtle becomes lethargic, eats less, and basks in less than an hour in the sun.
List of insects that go into hibernation
Wintering of insects in winter differs from that of mammals. During this phase, they enter a state known as diapause. It is associated with a long-term state of suspension of vital functions. Insects such as the praying mantis carry the burden in the winter and come out of hibernation when the spring arrives. Many insects change chemical composition of their blood, producing antifreeze, a mixture that keeps them from freezing.

Do butterflies (butterflies) hibernate and how long do they (she) sleep?
Hibernation Type: Diapause
These insects must undergo behavioral and physiological adaptations in order to combat winter months. Adaptation is different in each stage. Adult butterflies hibernate in clusters and during the winter they sleep in streams or wood cracks.

Does a ladybug hibernate and how long does she sleep?
Hibernation Type: Diapause
Sleep mode various kinds ladybugs is quite common. They winter in large groups in houses, under tree bark or fallen leaves. They are grouped together to enter hibernation. This keeps them warm and also helps in warding off predators during hibernation.

Does a bumblebee hibernate and how long does it sleep?
Hibernation duration: October to March
Hibernation Type: True hibernation
In bumblebees, only the new queen bee is able to survive the harsh weather. The rest of the colony, including workers, old queens and males, dies. queen bee drinks a lot of nectar to fill the fat in the body. This allows her to withstand the cold months. Ideally, the queen should weigh about 0.6 g for a successful hibernation and emergence from it next spring. In case of extreme temperature loss, the queen produces glycerin. This acts as an antifreeze in the organs and prevents the formation of ice crystals.

List of birds that hibernate and hibernate

Does the American Hibernate? white-throated nightjar And how long does he sleep?
Despite the strange and even funny name, it is still a bird.
Hibernation duration: October to March
Hibernation Type: True hibernation
The only known species of birds that hibernate takes place under rocks and logs for hibernation and stays there for four to five months. During this time, he sleeps for approximately 100 days and his energy levels plummet, by no less than 93%. During this state, the bird has a reduced body temperature, pulse and respiratory rate.
There are many birds that go into hibernation or torpor during the cold months. These include birds such as swifts, manakins, hummingbirds, and mousebirds.
Another change in the adaptation of some animal species is that they go to places with more warm climate and stay there until the end of winter. Their biological clock is set accordingly, and after the climate in their habitat becomes warm, they migrate back. The following is a list of animals that migrate to other places to avoid freezing temperatures.
Bird species such as geese, ducks, etc., animals such as moose, whales and caribou. Insects such as termites, Japanese beetle, moths and butterflies.
The animal world is full of such mysterious creatures that adapt to various climatic and environmental changes. Really intriguing!

Before the onset of winter, they try to bring as much food as possible into the mink, which they protect and cherish until the onset of spring, since it is in the spring that these animals have a mating season. Their reserves can reach five kilograms of seeds, and they carefully choose the seeds so that they are not spoiled. Chipmunks are very greedy animals. In winter, they eat only in extreme cases, when they are already completely exhausted by hunger and cold. But in the spring, not a single animal has such food reserves as a chipmunk has.

Sleep in males is disturbing, they listen with alertness to external sounds. These animals will not let anyone close to their lair. Sometimes they can get out of the den to make sure that there is no danger nearby. If the den seemed to the animal too cold, damp, or it was simply uncomfortable for him there, then the bear can change its home. However, it is almost impossible to find a new lair in winter, and even a free and comfortable one.

In this case, the bear becomes a connecting rod. His sense of fear and sense of caution atrophies, and in this state he is capable of harming others. There can be two bears in one den, but if they do not get along, then the one who is weaker leaves the dwelling and begins to search for a new one. A bear can also be forced to leave its shelter - if there are barking dogs nearby, shots of hunters or loud sounds of powerful equipment.

Winter is a difficult time for animals. The threat to die harsh conditions brings animals together, there are times when even enemies get along and winter peacefully. But with the first onset of heat, such a neighborhood breaks up, the fly that has overwintered with the spider tries to fly away quickly, the viper crawls away from the hedgehog, which long time lived side by side with her.

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What animals hibernate in winter?

Winter dream

Some animals, for example badgers, most winters sleep in their hole, body temperature is kept at 30 ° C. If their body temperature were to drop, it would mean certain death for them. Raccoons and skunks they also sleep in winter, but at the same time, like badgers, they support high temperature body. Sleep is different from hibernation.

At the start of winter, when temperatures drop below 15°C, the groundhog curls up in a ball in its burrow and hibernates. The saying "sleeps like a marmot" did not appear by chance - these animals sleep from 6 to 8 months a year.

Hibernation Warm-blooded animals, in order to survive the hungry and the most unfavorable time, hibernate in order to save precious energy. Animals' body temperature is greatly reduced, digestion stops, heart rate decreases, breathing becomes less frequent. Hibernation is more than just an adaptation of animals to survive the cold season. For hedgehog, dormouse and horseshoe - this is the only way avoid starvation.

In some animals, hibernation literally turns into sleep, for example, in brown bears. The bear goes to bed even before the first snow, so that his tracks are not visible in the snow. In autumn, the bear needs to eat a lot to survive the winter.

The bear eats up with oats, fish, ants, beetles, autumn berries in the fall, so that it is enough for the whole winter. Before hibernation, bears also change their coats for winter, warm, thick, long and fluffy. Only the bears have both summer and winter coats of the same color. The bear does not fall asleep immediately, in cold winter sleeping soundly but in the thaw is fast asleep. It's interesting that bears go to bed with their heads to the south . During winter sleep, the body temperature of a bear drops by 5-6 degrees. The vital activity of the body of an animal that sleeps does not decrease as much as during hibernation. In the middle of winter, a bear wakes up and leaves the den, and then returns to “fill up”. A she-bear gives birth to cubs, and she takes care of them.

Large herbivores migrate in southern regions. e.g. reindeer,

For small mammals, such travel is impossible. Small animals lose heat faster than they produce it. Therefore, many small animals build well protected warm nests .For example: Hedgehog In autumn, the hedgehog strings leaves on its back, and then shakes them off in the hole. And at night and during the day he works: from moss and leaves he makes himself a soft warm winter bed! In autumn, there are a lot of ticks in the forest that climb between hedgehog needles. Hedgehogs are saved by planting apples on their needles. It turns out malic acid, which insects are afraid of. Then the hedgehog climbs into its hole, curls up into a ball, It is reliably protected by needles! Burrows in leaves and warm moss, it is cozy and comfortable. And the hedgehog will fall asleep with a sweet dream for the whole winter ! And wake up in the spring!

Winter colds make their own adjustments to the behavior of many animals. Bears, raccoons, hedgehogs, marmots, badgers, jerboas hibernate before the onset of heat, but there are also those who do not sleep in winter, trying with all their might to survive in difficult natural conditions. What animals do not sleep in the forest in winter? These include almost all of our favorite children's fairy tales. wild animals: squirrels, hares, foxes, wolves, etc.

Most forest dwellers begin to prepare for winter even before the onset of cold weather. Some of them stock up on food in advance, change their coat color, and improve their homes. Squirrels are such prudent animals. Their preparation for frost begins in warm time. In winter, squirrels live in nests, which they arrange in empty hollows or on branching branches. Rodents stock up on nuts, acorns, cones and mushrooms in advance, so that in the difficult winter time they and their cubs have something to eat. They hide their food preparations under old stumps, moss, in empty hollows and tree roots. Squirrels' dwellings are insulated with dry straw, leaves and moss, which are also stocked long before frost. The animal spends the winter in the nest, leaving it only to take food from its hiding places. Before a cold snap, the squirrel coat changes its color from red to gray, thanks to which its owner is not so noticeable against the background of white snow. The brightened coat becomes thicker and warmer, helping the squirrel to adequately survive the cold season. The inhabitant of the trees plunges into a short hibernation only in severe frosts, the rest of the time it deftly jumps along the branches, becoming a real decoration of the deserted forests and parks.

Unlike the industrious squirrel, the hare does not prepare for winter. In the cold season, he has a hard time, because he does not have his own warm mink or den, where he could wait out severe frosts or hide from enemies. Before winter, hares molt, changing the color of their fur coat from gray to white. This allows them to become invisible to hungry predators roaming the forest in search of prey. To make the animal more comfortable to move on cold snow and slippery ice, the pads of his paws are covered with wool. The main problem rodent in winter becomes a search for food. He does not make any food stocks, therefore, with the onset of frost, he has to eat only what he can find. The main food of hares in the cold months is dried and frozen berries preserved from autumn, dry grass, bark and tree branches. In winter, hares prefer to stay closer to human habitation: here they have the opportunity to eat hay, leftover animal feed and bark. fruit trees. During the day, rodents prefer to sleep, and go out in search of food at night, when they are least visible to predators and hunters. Hares do not have a warm dwelling; they use minks, which they dig for themselves in snowdrifts, as shelter for them. Thick wool saves them from freezing, and quick paws from enemies.

Those who do not sleep in winter often have a hard time, because not all animals manage to survive the snowy and hungry months. The constant search for food is not the only test for animals in winter forest. Not less than important issue hunters become for them, the number of which increases sharply with the onset of the cold season. But, despite the difficulties, animals manage not only to find food for themselves and hide from enemies, but also to prepare for the birth of offspring.

The fox feels like the mistress of the forest in winter. The cheat does not change the color of its fur coat, as squirrels and hares do. Live through very coldy she is helped by a thick and warm undercoat, which begins to grow back in the summer. The paws of the red predator are covered with wool, thanks to which she can calmly step on the snow and not freeze. Foxes do not tend to store food, so the search for food becomes their daily problem. They deftly find mice under the snow, often make their way to the villages and steal chickens, geese and other poultry from people. Often the hare becomes the prey of the beast. The fox does not have its own housing, it spends the night right on the snow, curled up in a ball and covering its nose with a fluffy tail. The mating season is from January to February. Several males can take care of one female at once. To gain her favor, they arrange real fights. The strongest male becomes the chosen one of the female. After mating with him, the fox begins to choose a place for a hole in which she will give birth and raise future offspring. To protect their cubs from enemies, they equip minks on the hills, from where the whole area is clearly visible.

What animals do not sleep in winter yet? Of course, wolves are the most dangerous forest predators. On the eve of winter, they acquire long and thick hair, which allows them to endure the cold. The wolf does not have a hole or lair. He sleeps in the snow, covering his tail and paws with his own tail. In winter, wolves spend the day sleeping, waking up and hunting after dusk. They see perfectly in the dark and have excellent hearing, allowing you to hear the slightest rustle. In search of food, the wolf is ready to run tens of kilometers. He preys not only on small animals, but also on large animals, the size of which exceeds his own. Wolves go hunting both alone and in a pack (coordinated actions of all its participants help to get large animal). Being very hungry, they become promiscuous and often attack people and dogs. In the absence of large prey, these predators are content small rodents. In order to survive, wolves are ready to physically eliminate competitors. It is not uncommon for them to strangle foxes in order to take possession of their prey. Wolves not only hunt in packs, but also live in them, because it is easier for them to survive in difficult conditions. They lead a nomadic life and only at the end of winter they equip themselves with a lair for the birth of offspring.

It is hard in the cold season for wild boars. If there are no heavy snowfalls and severe frosts in winter, these animals feed on small rodents, the remains of acorns, roots and leaves. In severe cold, when the ground freezes, they often have to starve. Because of this, wild boars are greatly weakened and often become prey to wolves. To protect themselves from danger, they sleep in a lair built from fallen leaves during the day, and go out in search of food at night.

Winter is the most restless time of the year for the inhabitants of the forest. During this period, animals have to work hard to get their own food and be extremely careful not to fall into the clutches of predators and not become the prey of hunters. The only exception to this rule is the squirrel, which stores food in advance and equips its nest in such a way that it is cozy and warm in winter.

Pets

Hibernation is the state of the animal's body, in which a number of vital processes slow down. This allows you to survive severe frosts, heat or a period of forced starvation. Many people know which animals hibernate, but not everyone knows the subtleties and features of this process, which are characteristic of certain families and even species. The benefits of hibernation are enjoyed by both warm-blooded animals and their cold-blooded counterparts. This phenomenon also happens among pets, it is worth familiarizing yourself with its nuances even before acquiring a new friend, so as not to panic with changes in his behavior.

What animals hibernate - representatives of the wild fauna

Shaggy giants have been preparing a den for themselves since autumn, using ravines, caves or roots of massive trees for this. They line it with dry grass, soft moss and spruce branches. From the end of summer, bears begin to eat intensively, depositing the resulting substances in the form of a subcutaneous fat layer. The state in which animals are immersed is more like a very deep sleep with a slight increase in body temperature. They keep full combat readiness, sensitive to stimuli, can wake up from hunger. After a short wandering through the forest, the connecting rod bear occupies a new lair.

Badgers, chipmunks, gophers, raccoons

These rodents are distinguished by a rather sensitive sleep. During the winter, they wake up several times to satisfy their hunger with the help of supplies. Gophers can "fall asleep" even in summer, suffering from a lack of food.

Winter hibernation of these animals can last up to six months. All this time they do not eat any food, despite the fact that once every three weeks they wake up for 12-18 hours to stabilize vital processes. Despite such a harsh regime, marmots come out of hibernation in a fairly well-fed and healthy condition.

Hedgehogs, snakes, frogs

They differ in that during the wintering period their metabolic processes slow down significantly, the temperature drops, their sleep is deep and it is difficult to disturb it. Hedgehogs prepare special holes for themselves, snakes climb into the soil below the level of freezing or cracks, frogs dive into a pond or burrow. Animals bring themselves to such a state that the ambient temperature even exceeds their own indicators. It is noteworthy that frogs that choose a pond for wintering do not need regular rises to the surface. They get oxygen from the water by absorbing it on the surface of their skin.

They survive the winter under the bark of trees or in summer minks, clogging the entrance with clods of earth and leaves. Wintering for them begins in early autumn, and the younger the individual, the later it hides.

What animals hibernate - amazing pets

It can fall into a state of hibernation with a sharp drop in temperature. In appearance, the animal will appear dead, but upon closer examination, it will be possible to detect the presence of slow breathing, the body will not stiffen, but will be soft, the paws and nose will be cold. To get the pet out of this state, you just need to warm it up.

While maintaining stable conditions, turtles do not change their usual rhythm of life. If the owner, for some reason, wants to put the animal into a state of sleep, then you will have to try hard. The pet will need to be fattened, checked by a veterinarian and made sure of excellent health, bathed. This is followed by a complex process of introduction to sleep. It will need to be controlled, it is equally important to correctly bring the turtle out of this state.

How do animals winter in the forest? It is very difficult for animals in winter. A significant reduction in food and severe frosts lead to the fact that not all animals manage to survive this time. But many of them also give birth to cubs in this difficult time.

Animals adapt to adverse living conditions in winter in different ways. There are, in which all processes in the body decrease, and they hibernate.

What is hibernation?

Hibernation or winter sleep is special shape adaptation of animals to seasonal changes in living conditions. That is, it is cold and hungry, and the animal hibernates. During hibernation, body temperature drops, breathing and heartbeat slow down, as well as other physiological processes. This is the period sharp decline metabolic rate. The animal goes into a daze.

Winter sleep is somewhat different from hibernation. Inhibition of all body functions occurs less intensively, during the winter the animal does not lose the ability to wake up.

Winter sleep or hibernation helps animals survive the unfavorable period of the year. Animals prepare for hibernation in advance. They feed intensively in the summer and become overgrown with fat. The fat reserve is usually somewhere around 40% of the weight. With the onset of cold weather, the animal looks for a warm shelter and falls asleep in it.

What animals hibernate in winter?

IN middle lane Russian animals falling into hibernation or winter sleep are chipmunks, badgers, gophers, hamsters, raccoons, hedgehogs,. At milestones of animals, hibernation passes in its own way. Let's see how different animals spend the winter.

Hedgehogs in winter

Hedgehogs begin to prepare for winter in the summer. The hedgehog is an omnivore. Its diet includes caterpillars, slugs, rain. With pleasure, hedgehogs eat berries, fallen fruits, small eggs. In winter, hedgehogs' favorite food is impossible to find. But then nutrients can be accumulated in the body. An indispensable condition for the survival of hedgehogs is the accumulation of fat over the summer, due to which he lives in winter. Fat accumulation occurs both under the skin and in internal organs animal.

At the beginning of autumn, hedgehogs look for a deep hole, at least one and a half meters deep, otherwise they may simply freeze and not survive the cold winter with severe frosts. A mistake in choosing a place for hibernation can be fatal and result in the death of a hedgehog. The hole is insulated with dry leaves and moss. In autumn, the hedgehog molts, it grows hair, corresponding to winter conditions. The hibernation period begins at the hedgehog with the onset of the first winter frosts in October. They clog their burrow and hibernate.

Hedgehog in hibernation

In hibernation, body temperature drops to +2 degrees. If in summer active time the pulse rate of a hedgehog is 180 beats per minute, then during the winter hibernation of the hedgehog, the beat frequency drops to 20-50 beats and only one breath is taken per minute.

The researchers found that the hibernation of a hedgehog can last up to 240 days, while this animal in an active state without food will not survive even 10 days.

The hedgehog sleeps curled up in a ball, with its paws and nose pressed against its stomach, and its head in contact with its tail. This position allows maximum heat retention.

The hedgehog loses up to half its weight during hibernation. Interestingly, in captivity, where food is provided year-round, the hedgehog still hibernates.

With the onset of spring, hedgehogs wake up and quickly adapt to their usual lifestyle.

Bears in winter

The bear also begins to prepare for winter in the summer. Most importantly, stock up on nutrients for the winter in the form of body fat. Bears eat sweet berries, small ones, roots, and. By winter, the bear walks subcutaneous fat. In some places, its thickness reaches eight centimeters.

Starting from the middle of summer, bears begin to equip their existing den or re-arrange it, finding the most suitable place.

bear den

The bear always equips a lair in hard-to-reach places, in deep forest wilderness, where it will be quite difficult for a person to pass. It often happens that the most suitable place for winter shelter attracts more than one bear, and therefore several dens can be observed in this area. If the animal has already taken a fancy to and chosen a certain place for a lair, then it will certainly return here year after year, even if this place is hundreds of miles away from its usual habitat.

In regions with mild winters, the bear most often arranges a riding den. The horse lair is a well-arranged bed with a bed of branches coniferous trees or rotten wood. Sometimes the bear tries to disguise its shelter with the help of young broken trees.

Where winters are colder, animals choose a more solid winter dwelling option. These are semi-ground and ground lairs. For the device, a recess is first made in the ground. The bottom is covered with branches, etc., and turf is dragged on top. The ground den is a short burrow ending in a chamber. The entrance to such a lair is called a brow.

Before laying down for the winter, the bear stops eating and empties its intestines. For the next six months, he does not eat anything, does not urinate or defecate.

The bear lies alone in the den, while the she-bear sometimes with last year's cubs, and always lies in front of them. In the den, all bears curl up in a ball, resting their muzzle on their chest and crossing their paws in front of their muzzle; hence the incorrect belief that bears suck their paws in winter. Since the animals lie with their heads towards the exit hole, from their breathing the brows of the lairs, as well as nearby trees and bushes, are covered with yellowish hoarfrost, which is visible from afar in open areas and often betrays the beast to hunters. An interesting fact is that there are no animal tracks near the den, because being afraid of a bear, animals bypass the place that is dangerous for them.

In different areas, the winter sleep of bears lasts from 75 to 195 days, the animals are in dens from October - November to March - April, that is, 5-6 months. In dens, she-bears with cubs live the longest, and old males live least of all. Bears do not hibernate at all in the south of the range, where winters are not snowy.

hibernation bears

If a hedgehog during hibernation falls into a deep stupor, and its body temperature differs little from the ambient temperature, then the bear's winter sleep is not so deep. His body temperature drops by about 5 degrees and fluctuates between 29 and 34 degrees. The metabolic process slows down, the heart rate drops to 10 per minute. During sleep, fats begin to be burned in the bear's body. Enzymes break down fatty tissues, supplying the body with the necessary calories and water. And even if the processes in the body are slowed down, as a result of metabolism, a certain amount of waste is formed. During the hibernation of the bear, instead of removing waste, the body recycles it.

From the kidneys and bladder, urea is reabsorbed into the blood and transported circulatory system to the intestines, where it is hydrolyzed by bacteria into ammonia. This ammonia goes back to the liver, where it is involved in the formation of new amino acids that form the basis of proteins. The bear's body feeds itself during the long period of hibernation, converting waste products into building materials. During the wintering period, the bear loses up to 80 kg of fat.

Almost every day the bear raises its head and rolls from side to side. The animal wakes up in case of danger and leaves the den, setting off in search of a new one. Sometimes during the summer and autumn the bear does not have time to properly fatten, so he wakes up in the middle of winter and begins to wander in search of food; such bears are called rods. Such bears have very little chance of surviving until spring. Rods are very dangerous, hunger makes them merciless predators - they attack anyone who meets them on the way, even a person.

Previously, people hunted bears sleeping in dens. Hunters on skis found a lair, surrounded it, woke up a bear and killed it. Nowadays, winter bear hunting is considered cruel and banned in most of Europe.

In the middle of winter in a den in the life of a she-bear, significant event. Bears mate in the summer, but the fertilized cells inside the expectant mother's body do not begin to develop until November, when the bear goes into hibernation. Bear cubs are born in the den in January-February, more often in the first half of January. A mother bear brings 2-3 (up to a maximum of 5) cubs about 23 cm long and 500-600 g in weight, blind, with an overgrown ear canal, covered with short sparse hair. On the 14th day, their ear passages open; they mature in a month. The she-bear feeds the cubs with nutritious milk, this depletes her already weakened vitality. The cubs grow quickly, by spring they become fluffy and already weigh about five kilograms.

At the end of the month, male bears crawl out of their lairs. But the she-bears stay in their winter home for a few more weeks. After a long hibernation, a well-fed bear leaves skin and bones. Usually, after waking up, bears begin to eat only after two or three weeks, since the body does not immediately get used to new conditions. But then they wake up remarkable appetite.

Animals that spend the winter in an active state

Animals that spend the winter in an active state are covered with long and thick hair. The color of the coat also changes. In order to be invisible in the snow, the fur of many animals turns white. For example, the stoat and weasel turn white in winter, while the stoat remains black only at the tip of the tail. In winter, they deftly move under the snow, attacking black grouse and capercaillie in snowdrifts.

hare in winter

She also sheds before the start of winter. He gets a white fluffy fur coat, which makes him invisible in the snow. The fur becomes longer and thicker, which saves the animal from severe frosts. For ease of movement on snow and ice, the paw pads of the animal are also covered with wool, which makes its foot wide and allows it to move easily even on loose snow without falling through. The pads of the hare's fingers sweat profusely, thanks to which snow does not stick.

The hare arranges hare beds in winter. This is a secluded place where he spends the whole daylight hours. Usually hares lie under some kind of shelter - a bush, a snow cover, in a hole, a ravine. The animal is covered with snow during a snowfall or a snowstorm, and it becomes hardly noticeable. The hare is the most protected in such weather: he himself is not visible, and the traces have disappeared under the snow. At dusk, the animal goes out to feed, as the hare feels safer at this time of day. Animals feed on branches and bark of deciduous trees and shrubs, dried grass, and frozen berries.

Between the lair and the feeding place on fresh snow, you can see clear traces of a hare. On them, predatory animals and hunters track down a hare. However, the animals are taking steps to track them down is not so easy. They cover up their tracks. To do this, hares dodge, make big jumps to the side, pass through the same place several times.

For all representatives of the animal world, the day is divided into phases of active wakefulness and rest. Man, by the way, is no exception. However, some animals, in addition, still fall into hibernation. It's hard for us humans to imagine what is it like to sleep soundly for several months, but bears, many rodents and frogs are ordinary about such things. Let's see why animals hibernate.

How does this happen?

Hibernation is not just a long sleep, but a certain state of the body that helps to survive the winter. During hibernation, the animal's metabolism slows down significantly. However, this also applies to all other processes. Body temperature sometimes drops even to sub-zero temperatures. Breathing can slow down to 1-2 breaths per minute. The heart can also only make a few beats per minute. All nutrients are thus spent much more economically, so the animal can get by for several months only on internal resources.

Each cell of the body begins to use energy more economically.

In most species, the body is in a state of torpor during this period so that energy is not expended on unnecessary muscle contractions. If you find a gopher in hibernation, then it is quite possible to mistake him for a dead one.

And this is not the whole list.

Animals in the northern regions hibernate in winter, and in arid regions in summer. Thus, it is seen that hibernation helps them survive the most difficult time of the year.

Hibernation can also be diurnal. Hummingbirds and bats fall into it.

And some animals can hibernate when suddenly attacked. adverse conditions. For example, when the period of prolonged rains began, and it is problematic to get food, you can wait for some time in hibernation.

By the way, one of the primates hibernates. Talk about the idea of pygmy lemur from Madagascar. He sleeps in his hollow for about seven months (!). Quite strange, because in those parts the temperature in winter is about 30 degrees Celsius. but The Colombian ground squirrel is considered the record holder for hibernation., who starts his marathon in the summer, and wakes up only in the spring.

Why do animals need hibernation?

Everything is quite prosaic - the state of hibernation is necessary to survive the hungry winter.

Of course, not all animals survive the winter in hibernation. They can be killed by extreme low temperature, exhaustion, or just a predator who accidentally found their shelter.

How do animals manage without food during hibernation?

Stocks! It is food prepared in advance that helps animals survive the winter. But they are fast asleep! In fact, at certain intervals, small animals still wake up to refresh themselves and drink water.

Stocks are very important for rodents

But the bears do without all this. The fat layer accumulated during the preparation period not only provides them with nutrients during hibernation, but also helps to maintain a certain body temperature. The bear does not urinate, so fluid loss is minimal. The water balance in his body is maintained by burning fat. Bears wake up much less often. Most often they sleep soundly all winter.

Contrary to popular belief the bear sucks its paw not because of hunger, but in order to moisturize parched feet and gnaw on keratinized skin.

Need to get ready!

Animals spend a lot of time preparing for hibernation, because they not only need to stock up on nutrients, but also furnish your home in order to maintain a certain microclimate.

Rodent burrows can have a depth of 3 meters. Grains, nuts and seeds are stored there, which will help maintain vitality. Can winter in one shelter whole family rodents.

Each hollow, lair, burrow must be safe and inaccessible to predators, and the temperature must remain above zero, even if it is very cold outside. It is the temperature in the dwelling that will correspond to the body temperature of many animals in hibernation. So it's not that simple.

The easiest way is to fish dahlia, which does not need to take care of the home. She feels great in a frozen lake. The unique structure of the tissues protects this fish from freezing, and when the ice melts, it continues to live.

Bears are perhaps the most picky in terms of housing. These comrades can simply dig in the leaves, and in winter they are covered with snow. So be careful, because one of the snowdrifts may turn out to be a sleeping bear, and they do not sleep so soundly. You will especially not be healthy if you stumble upon a clubfoot closer to spring, because he will be very hungry. Probably because their sleep is not deep, the bears don't really care about a secure home. Everyone already knows how unsafe it is to wake them up in winter.

By the way, you would read "". You will learn at the same time how animals treat tickling.

Why do some animals fall into a match, while others do not?

Each species has adapted to winter in its own way. Migratory birds(yes, they are not animals), without thinking twice, they fly away to more comfortable places for wintering. The body of some animals is preparing for active wintering. An example of this are hares, which change their color to white for camouflage and grow hair on their paw pads to make it easier to move on ice and snow. The squirrels simply fill their burrow with enough supplies for the winter. Many insects, having laid their eggs until spring, simply die.

In winter conditions, the same bear would spend a lot of energy searching for food, moving through snowdrifts and simply resisting frost. Found food would not always replenish lost strength, and the bear's survival would be in question. He cannot move to other warmer regions, and in order to collect enough supplies for the winter, the bear would need a huge den. Therefore, the most acceptable option for him, as for many other species, is hibernation. Their habitual activity in winter conditions would be deadly.

Since we are talking about bears, some scientists say that his hibernation cannot be called complete. The processes in the body of a clubfoot do not slow down as much as in the same rodents. And the temperature of his body does not drop so much - only 5 degrees. There are such ground squirrels, which during hibernation can have a temperature of about -2 degrees.

Based on the above, hibernation of bears is called light. This also includes raccoons and badgers. But gophers, hedgehogs, jerboas and many others fall into true hibernation when their body is completely numb.

Today I continue to talk about our classes under the theme Autumn. The last two days we played animals in autumn. I tried to make more games and less theoretical material. because where the bear sleeps the child already learned, and some new facts It’s still too early to tell at this age, so we focused on games.

The arrival of autumn is not only noticeable by the change in nature, but also the animals begin to prepare for winter. Talk to your child and ask him the following questions.

What animals can be found in the forest in autumn?
Who goes to bed all winter?
Who changes their coat for the winter?
Who stocks up for the winter?
Who hibernates under foliage, in crevices, in tree bark?

Answer questions and look for pictures of the animals we talked about.

to meet harsh winter, forest animals preparations begin in early autumn. They build their own holes, make stocks. Squirrels and hares begin to shed - they change their coats from summer to winter. In winter coats, the fur is thicker, more magnificent, and the color is more suitable for winter nature.

The bear wanders through the forest, eats ripe berries, nuts, acorns, fattens up for the winter.

Moles and mice stock up on spikelets. Badger collects roots and mushrooms. He dries them near his hole, laying them out on tree trunks.

The squirrel stores in hollows, in crevices of the bark and under the roots of trees. The wolf and the fox do not sleep in winter and do not prepare stocks in autumn, they hunt.

In late autumn it is quiet and deserted in the forest. Why? No ringing bird voices are heard. Forest dwellers hid in burrows and hollows.

Discuss the story

What is the bear doing? (Goes into the den.)
Who hid in holes? (Hedgehog, badger, field mouse.)
And what does the squirrel do? (She doesn't like cold, rainy weather, so she hid, sits in her hollow and nibbles on cones and nuts.)
Is it comfortable for a bunny in a white fur coat when it has not snowed yet? Why?

Guess riddles

Who deftly jumps on the trees

And flies up to the oaks?

Who hides nuts in a hollow,

Dry mushrooms for the winter? (Squirrel.)

Lit up like a fire

On the mountain ash of the brush,

Rolling towards the ball

From autumn leaves.

Do not you recognize him?

Take a look! This is ... (hedgehog).

Who goes to bed in the fall and gets up in the spring? (Bear.)

Who roams hungry in the forest,

Looking for a bunny under a bush? (Wolf.)

What is a white ball

Lie down on the ground under a bush? (Hare.)

The first snow fell on the roofs,

Covered the garden with furs.

Bird girl in a red fur coat

This is where our theory ended and we moved on to practice.

From blankets and pillows they built a lair, and then they settled there for hibernation.

We played squirrel, which makes stocks. We searched through the cabinets, found stocks: mushrooms (toy). nuts, berries, etc. We collected beans and peas in bowls and accidentally the squirrel mixed everything up, began to disassemble (Dasha really loves such games). Dismantled. Then they started pouring. For another half an hour, we measured all the containers, compared where more, where less fits. Then they took out the scales and began to weigh how many peas are in one bean, and which is heavier, and how many beans are in a mushroom, and so on ad infinitum, then they solved examples with the help of beans, at a glance the number was different.

Then they fed the wolf. he does not sleep, he needs to eat something. And after the wolf, they fed all the animals in the house (hedgehog, hares, even a tiger with a lion).

They galloped like a hare and changed their coat (clothes). We played hedgehog, snorted and collected supplies)))

They played migratory birds.Label the room north and south. The child is a bird that flies around the room. Mom says: "Autumn has come." The bird should fly to warmer climes to the south. "Spring has come" - the birds are returning back.