As the temperatures cool off, and the sun is getting up later and later, time appears to be slowing down. We humans are not the only ones to feel this sleepy trend, many in the animal world are preparing to take one long and well desreved nap...
A few weeks ago I took an adventure into the world of insects and their hibernation habits, so this week I got curious about other animals and what they do to survive the cold months to come.
When I think of hibernation, I think of bears, caves and months of heavy sleeping. This is true in some cases, like with black bears who can sleep up to 7 months in colder areas, while other bears like grizzlies wake up from time to time to grab a snack. Also, more often then not, bears sleep in dens they have dug themselves, not caves...although they do use those when it's convenient.
What I found most exciting though, was what happens in the process of hibernation...heart rates drop, body temperatures go down (in some cases), and some bears go from breathing 6-10 times per minute, to only breathing once every 45 seconds! Know as "super hibernators" bears really are quite something.
Another amazing group of hibernators are the chipmunks and squirrels. Unlike bears, they don't sleep for months on end, but rather wake up from time to time to feed from their collection of nuts and berries.
All of this made me wonder...why don't humans hibernate? I know I feel sleepy more often in the winter than in the summer...and when the mornings are so dark like they are getting right now, I would far prefer to hibernate a little longer, than get up and go to work...
Here's to a warm and cozy slumber for all our hibernating friends this winter...we'll see you when the ground thaws...
~Jordan
P.S. check out this great den cam set up by the North American Bear Center to see a mama bear and her cub in the wild...
*Last time in Nature: Hello Fall
*Current Giveaway: Shadow Storybook
