![]() Too much disturbance could lead to starvation since the animal uses up its fat reserves and cannot find replacement food in winter. One study of little browns found that each time they are aroused, they use up fat reserves that could last over 65 days. If that happens, for instance, to bats hibernating in a cave, it can have drastic consequences. This does not mean that hibernators like to be aroused unnaturally. Animals may re-warm themselves to restore chemical imbalances that might occur during a low metabolic state. Others rely on fat deposits for energy and arouse without eating. Some animals store food in their hibernacula (their winter retreats) and eat during arousal episodes. Little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus), for example, may hibernate uninterrupted for as long as 83 days or they may arouse every 12 to 19 days. All hibernators periodically arouse themselves for hours to days, a behavior which is not understood since it uses up precious energy stores. ![]() Hibernating bats, for example, the desert-dwelling western pipistrelles, big browns and pallids, may drop their heart rates from a high of over 600 beats per minute during mid-flight to a low of under 20 beats per minute during hibernation. ![]() (The summer time equivalent is known as "aestivation.") During hibernation, animals dramatically reduce their metabolic and heart rates and lower their body temperatures. Hibernation is commonly regarded as passing the winter in a state of lethargy, a defense against cold and food shortages, but it is not quite that simple. Hibernation can last from October to March. Although some move only slightly during winter, others may take advantage of warm days and head out to bask in the sun. In a suspended state, it drastically reduces its metabolic rate, digestion, urination and defecation. A classic hibernator is the desert tortoise, which heads underground into burrows with the onset of cold. Hibernation helps animals cheat winter’s potential death grip and prolong their lives.Īlthough it is often viewed as a phenomenon of colder climates, hibernation also occurs in the desert. The winter adaptations practiced by reptiles, invertebrates, amphibians, mammals and birds can be likened to Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth. During this self-imposed exodus, they may rely on extra fat or cached food. They venture into caves and dens, descend from mountains, burrow deep underground, or simply dig under rocks or logs. Species as diverse as bears and beetles disappear from the landscape, with hibernation on their minds. Winter is a time of magic in the animal world. Desert Animal Hibernation Species that Disappear with Hibernation
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