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Japanese macaques can survive in cold temperatures of below −15°C (5°F), and are among very few primates that can do so.. Chionophiles are any organisms (animals, plants, fungi, etc.) that can thrive in cold winter conditions (the word is derived from the Greek word chion meaning "snow", and -phile meaning "lover").
Many birds, mammals, and reptiles also practice social nesting or denning during cold weather and thus obtain the benefit of their partners’ body heat. Texas kangaroo rat burrow seen in a ...
Overwintering is the process by which some organisms pass through or wait out the winter season, or pass through that period of the year when "winter" conditions (cold or sub-zero temperatures, ice, snow, limited food supplies) make normal activity or even survival difficult or near impossible. In some cases "winter" is characterized not ...
Hibernation is a mechanism used by many mammals to reduce energy expenditure and survive food shortages over the winter. Hibernation may be predictive or consequential. An animal prepares for hibernation by building up a thick layer of body fat during late summer and autumn that will provide it with energy during the dormant period.
Torpor enables animals to survive periods of reduced food availability. [1] The term "torpor" can refer to the time a hibernator spends at low body temperature, lasting days to weeks, or it can refer to a period of low body temperature and metabolism lasting less than 24 hours, as in "daily torpor".
Mammalian skin is much thicker than that of birds and often has a continuous layer of insulating fat beneath the dermis. In marine mammals, such as whales, or animals that live in very cold regions, such as the polar bears, this is called blubber. Dense coats found in desert endotherms also aid in preventing heat gain such as in the case of the ...
Reptilian winter dormancy, or brumation, likely evolved to help reptiles survive colder conditions. Reptiles that are dormant in the winter tend to have higher survival rates and slower aging. [ 50 ] Reptiles evolved to exploit their ectothermy to deliberately cool their internal body temperatures.
Many bird leave for the winter, migrating south to warmer climes. Those that stay avoid the hazards of migration and maintain a year-round territory. Ever wonder how birds stay warm in the winter?