![]() The body also burns fat to warm the animal whenever their temperature gets too low, which prevents freezing.Īlthough hibernation resembles sleep, it’s actually a completely different process. The body gets all the nutrients it needs to maintain itself by burning the animal’s stored body fat. During hibernation, the animal’s body doesn’t need nearly as much energy to stay alive. Meanwhile, the hibernating animal becomes completely immobile, falling into a coma-like state. The animal’s body temperature also falls significantly- sometimes below freezing!-so the animal won’t consume energy heating itself. The animal’s body continues functioning in its slowed-down state by feeding on fat stores the animal accumulated before hibernating.ĭuring hibernation, the hibernating animal’s metabolism, heart rate, and breath rate slow way down. Hibernation can continue for weeks or even months, depending on how much energy the animal stored before hibernating. During this state, the animal remains completely immobile and appears to be sleeping or comatose.Īnimals usually enter hibernation in winter, when they can’t access enough food or water to survive. This allows them to survive without eating or drinking for long periods of time. While hibernating, animals consume far less energy. Did you know, for instance, that all kinds of common household wildlife pests hibernate? Or that they might hibernate in or around your home if you let them? Here are the answers to any questions you have about hibernation-including a few you may not think to ask!Ĭertain animals have the ability to significantly slow their metabolisms and purposefully enter a coma-like state called hibernation. ![]() It’s also more important to know a thing or two about hibernation than you realize. ![]() Like everything having to do with wildlife, there’s more to hibernation than you think. You’re probably not aware that there’s much more to it than that. You’re probably aware that hibernation is something like a very deep sleep animals fall into during winter. Like most fascinating and weird phenomenon, everyone knows about it and few people know very much about it. Hibernation is a fascinating and weird natural phenomenon.
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