![]() ![]() But does the bear hibernate? There is still some uncertainty about the exact definition and kind of rest the bear is taking. During this period, the bear loses a lot of weight and must save its energy. That is why the bear has to eat enough during the fall, so that it can live without any food for three months. Surprisingly, the reason for the winter rest is not the cold weather but the lack of food during this period. During this time, they often stay in caves which they have built themselves. Fascinating how animals are able to constantly adapt to their environment and weather conditions in order to survive, isn't it? How lucky, that we humans can rely on a warm heating system or a cosy fireplace during the cold winter months! Do bears hibernate?īears are taking their winter rest between October and December. During this time there is hardly any metabolic activity and only an increased concentration of glucose prevents life-threatening freezing of the body fluids. Their thin skin offers no protection against the cold, so their body temperature inevitably adapts to the outside temperature, which causes them to breathe more slowly and to fall into a state of rigidity. The reason is that they belong to the homoiothermic animals, which means that their body temperature always corresponds to the surrounding temperature. But what about amphibians and reptiles, which are just as incapable of moving to the warm south in winter? Animals such as frogs, lizards, and snails, which do not have thick fur, fall into a so-called winter rigidity. Strikingly only mammals hibernate and rest in winter. Then they look for food to replenish their energy reserves. However, they do not sleep through winter completely, but wake up from their rest more often. Animals that rest during winter look for dry, sheltered accommodation for the cold season. Heartbeat and respiration slow down, but do not fall as much as during hibernation. One difference to hibernation is the body temperature, which does not drop during winter rest. Unlike the marmot, squirrels, raccoons and field hamsters, for example, only have a winter's rest. At a body temperature of 15☌ and above, the sleepers start to move slowly until they are fully awake again after a while. Triggered by the warm temperatures, the hibernators release hormones which signal the body to slowly raise its temperature again. When the first warm rays of sunshine hit the earth in spring, the spring awakening literally begins. But why do some animals actually sleep in the winter months? The answer is quite simple: In winter, food becomes scarce and during hibernation, animals manage to lower their metabolism to a level where they can survive despite the scarcity of food. In fact, sleep phases take turns with waking phases, which are only of short duration to save energy reserves. ![]() It is, however, a misconception that hibernators now remain in this state for the next few months and do not wake up again until spring. In addition, the intestines and stomach can be minimized by half to save energy. Their body temperature drops to around 0☌, their heart does not beat as often, and they breathe much less. They eat as much fat as possible for this purpose and look for a frost-free shelter such as piles of leaves, small caves or something similar when winter sets in. Marmots and dormice are absolute record holders in terms of hibernation, because every year they fall into a seven-month sleep in early autumn, which lasts until spring. Hibernation – the sleepy heads among the animals ![]()
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