45 Hibernation Facts For Kids They Would Love To Know

The idea of huddling in a blanket in the cold winter months, and going into a deep sleep, is an idea that never fails to appeal to us all.

While human hibernation is unheard of, numerous animals hibernate throughout the winter. They become inactive for extended periods, not out of laziness, but to ensure their survival in harsh weather conditions and when food is scarce.

So, what does hibernation entail? What animals undergo hibernation and why? Find the answers to these questions by reading the hibernation facts below.

The Concept Of Hibernation

Hibernation is a survival tactic used by several animals like bears, bats, and hedgehogs during the winter season. This is the simple meaning by which you can explain the meaning of hibernation to a child.

Animals hibernate during winters, where they go into a deep sleep-like state and remain inactive with the main aim of saving their energy.

Contrary to popular belief, animals do not sleep during hibernation. They just remain inactive.

Animals hibernate to protect themselves from harsh winter weather, deal with food scarcity, or both.

Some researchers believe that certain animals hibernate to protect themselves from predators.

During hibernation, the heartbeats and the breathing of animals slow down. Their body temperature also drops.

Most vital functions of animals are severely slowed or entirely stopped during hibernation. Most of them do not even wake up to feed or drink.

Animals eat a lot of food during the summer and autumn seasons to prepare for a long period of hibernation. This aids in the accumulation of extra body fat, which supplies energy for hibernation.

Different animals hibernate in different ways. Turtles, for example, seek refuge under rocks or fallen leaves, while several insects burrow holes in the earth.

To avoid intense heat and drought, several species hibernate in hot climates. This is referred to as 'aestivation.'

Many terrestrial and aquatic species, including earthworms, lungfish, amphibians, snails, and reptiles, bury themselves in the ground or shut themselves in their shells to sleep.

Torpor is a technique that helps animals conserve energy in the short term, as opposed to hibernation, which stores energy for a long period.

Unique Features About Hibernating Animals

Hibernating animals have unique body mechanisms that help them save energy by remaining inactive for long periods.

While hibernating, animals can survive without oxygen as their breathing rates are reduced by 50% to even 100%!

Almost 90% of the energy stored is used for the brief periods when hibernators wake up to eat and pass waste.

Although bears are the most popular hibernators, they can easily wake up, and their body temperature also does not drop drastically.

Mother bears usually give birth and nurse their newborn babies while hibernating.

Dormice eat so much before hibernation that they can grow to be double their normal size.

Bears do not urinate while hibernating. Instead, they recycle urine into proteins. This helps in avoiding muscle atrophy.

Hibernating arctic ground squirrels may exhibit temperatures as low as 26.78 degrees F (−2.9 degrees C).

Hibernating bears can be very aggressive and grumpy if disturbed during their hibernation period.

When a black bear prepares for hibernation, it can gain up to 30 lb (13.6 kg) a week.

The fat-tailed dwarf lemur that lives in Madagascar is the only known primate or tropical mammal to hibernate.

Most birds do not hibernate, except the common poorwill.

Fish cannot hibernate because they cannot actively regulate their metabolic rate or body temperature. However, they can experience decreased metabolic rates associated with colder environments or low oxygen availability and experience dormancy.

Dormice are the longest hibernators that can sleep for almost 11 months!

Fun Facts About Hibernation

Hibernation is a prolonged period of inactivity among certain animals during the winter months. While some animals hibernate for a few days, some might do so for several months.

When the temperature dips severely, some animals wake up in between their hibernation for a short time to warm themselves by shivering, passing waste, and eating some food.

The word 'hibernate' is derived from the Latin word 'hibernaculum,' which means 'winter quarters.' 

Some hibernators enter hibernation spontaneously every year, regardless of temperature or food supply, and are known as obligate hibernators. Ground squirrels, European hedgehogs, and mouse lemurs are some of the obligate hibernators.

Animals (except the fat-tailed dwarf lemur) are unable to dream while hibernating because their body temperature is too low to develop electric currents that lead to dreams.

Small mammals hibernate to avoid predators. According to research, small mammals are five times more likely to die each month when they are active than while hibernating.

Some animals go into such a profound sleep during hibernating that it is nearly impossible to wake them. Sometimes, they even appear to be lifeless.

The body of a hibernator reacts to weather conditions. If the weather becomes too cold, the animal will need to wander about to warm themselves. Warmer temperatures signal an animal to emerge from hibernation.

Animals may die during hibernation due to a lack of fat, premature waking, or extreme weather.

Humans cannot hibernate. Currently, scientists are researching if humans can hibernate in space to help them deal with the long periods of space travel.

Animals That Hibernate

Most hibernating creatures are small except for bears. Several mammals, insects, amphibians, and reptiles undergo hibernation every year.

Four species of bears hibernate every winter. These are black bears, brown bears, grizzly bears, and polar bears. Among polar bears, only pregnant ones hibernate.

A black bear's heart rate can drop from 40 to eight beats per minute during hibernation, and they can go for up to 100 days without eating or drinking.

Turtles become slower in the winter and hibernate in areas with cold weather seasons.

When the temperature drops significantly, bees are unable to fly. They huddle in the center of their hive, with the queen in the very center staying the warmest, forming a winter cluster. 

Hedgehogs enter a state of torpor when their body temperature drops to match the temperature of their surroundings. They slow down all of their bodily operations to use less energy.

Marmots hibernate for up to eight months. During hibernation, they only take a few breaths per minute, and their heart rate drops from 120 beats per minute to three to four beats per minute!

The common poorwill is the only hibernator bird. It hibernates under shallow rocks or rotten logs. Its daily energy requirements are reduced by 93%.

The Australian animal, Echidnas, hibernates during winters in burrows.

Bats are among the longest hibernators. They only wake up to drink, their heart rate reduces from 1,000 beats per minute to 25, and some only breathe once every two hours.

Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemurs choose a tree and live there for roughly seven months until the rains return and food becomes available again. They live off the fat in their tail during hibernation, dropping nearly half of their body weight!

Snails hibernate in their shells. During this phase, they spend nearly no energy and do not need to eat anything. Snails can hibernate for years in locations where there is little rain.

Other animals who hibernate are bearded dragons, hamsters, frogs, groundhogs, raccoons, ladybugs, and alligators.