How Wildlife Animals Adjust to Meet the Winter
For some wildlife, the key to surviving each winter lies in the changes they make to their activities. Some animals, for instance go into hibernation. They spend the few weeks leading up to winter storing up body mass by eating more than they usually do. When it is time to hibernate, they retreat into suitable spaces and fall into a deep slumber from which they don’t emerge until spring starts to show its face. Some animals go into torpor which is a less intense period of inactivity than hibernation. Those wildlife that don’t hibernate or go into torpor spend less time outdoors. Another winter coping strategy is migration. A number of animals, especially birds, avoid the cold altogether by moving on to warmer places as winter approaches. They then return with the arrival of spring.Natural Defense Systems that Protect Wildlife Citizens from the Cold
For non-hibernating wildlife, the key to surviving the winter lies in their biological structure. Essentially, their bodies are designed to insulate them from the cold. Features such as extra body fat and thick furs help to keep the cold at bay. Additionally some of these animals have internal systems that adjust to help them cope in the cold. The central nervous system of animals like the 13 Lined ground squirrels do not respond to cold the way the human and mouse versions do. As a result, while human beings and mice feel the cold immediately and in full force, they do not and this allows them to tolerate lower temperatures. Extreme cold though challenges even the most winter-proof biology and so all wildlife species are vulnerable in the colder climates.What Winter Means for the Relationship Between Milwaukee Homeowners and Their Wildlife Neighbours
