![]() ![]() They only go into a torpor, during which their heart rate is extremely low but their body temperature remains high. So are Eastern Chipmunks and Striped Skunks. Grizzly Bears and Richardson’s Ground Squirrels are light hibernators.Once the weather warms and the ice melts, the frog will thaw and its heart and lungs resume normal activities. A high concentration of glucose in the vital organs of Leopard Frogs prevents freezing. The turtles remain under water until the beginning of Spring, and the frogs spend their winters under the ice of rivers, creeks or ponds. Blanding’s Turtles and Northern Leopard Frogs are brumating species.They survive on accumulated body fat, dropping their temperature to 3 degrees C and their heart beat from 80 beats per minute to only four or five. Groundhogs (Woodchucks) are one of Canada’s largest true hibernators, going into a deep, comatose sleep.Found across most of Canada, they do not feed or drink while hibernating. Little Brown Bats hibernate in humid caves or abandoned mines that remain above freezing.Here are some examples of species that hibernate during winter. Unlike true hibernation, torpor lasts only for short periods of time, allowing the animals to wake up during warmer winter days. Torpor, or light hibernation, helps species survive the harsh winter months. ![]() Animals in brumation typically wake up to drink water and might shift before returning to sleep. It is triggered by the onset of colder temperatures and shorter daylight hours and can last for months. Brumation is the hibernation-like state that cold-blooded animals (reptiles and amphibians) enter during very cold weather.During true hibernation, animals will not wake up if there is a loud noise or if they are moved or touched. In this reduced state of activity, animals conserve energy during the long, cold winter months when there is little food available. True hibernation is characterized by low body temperature, slow breathing, low heart rate, and a low metabolic rate.There are three types of hibernation – true hibernation, brumation and torpor. How they hibernate, and for how long, depends on the species and their habitat. From bears to bats, many of Canada’s wildlife species spend the winter in some form of hibernation. If you were a Canadian Grizzly Bear, you would have spent your time in late autumn preparing for a lengthy winter rest, trying to consume as many as 30,000 calories a day. This is the season when some of our native critters are sound asleep. This blog was written by Nature Canada member Steve Gahbauer and edited by Sam Nurse
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