Animal Hibernation Information

Definition

• Animal hibernation is a period when an animal sleeps through the winter. This sleep is a very deep sleep in which the animal appears to have no movement or activity. During true hibernation, the sleeping animal does not awake easily and can even be moved without disturbance.

Preparation

• An animal prepares for hibernation by eating more food than usual. The animal eats to store excess fat for the sleep. During the sleep, the animal's body will consume the extra fat stored. This preserves the animal's muscle.

  In addition to preparing the body with extra food, the animal also begins to prepare its bed for sleeping. This may be a hole in a tree, a nest, a burrow or a cave. The animal chooses a location in which it will not be disturbed or harmed by other animals.

Reasoning

• Animals hibernate to survive during the winter months. The hibernation allows animals to withstand the cold and the lack of available food.

Body Functions

• During true animal hibernation, the animal's body temperature decreases. The temperature of the animal will drop to almost the same temperature as the outdoor environment. In addition, the breathing of the animal is slowed down. The animal's heart beats slower. The slowing of the body and decrease in temperature allows the animal's stored fat to last longer. With decreased functions, the hibernating animal's nutrition and energy needs are less.

  Some animals do not enter true hibernation but simply fall into a deep sleep. These animals will sleep for long lengths of time and then awake to find food or consume food that was stored in their home. They then return to their sleep.

Animals

• Both warm-blooded and cold-blooded animals have species that hibernate in some form. Some warm-blooded animals that hibernate include raccoons, skunks, hedgehogs, bats and chipmunks. Cold-blooded animals that hibernate include bees, lizards, frogs and turtles.