To quote my boss, "It's colder than a witch's tit out there!" Struggling to survive yet another butt-arsed cold Maryland winter using a fire, blankets and hot cocoa (I'm not allowed to have coffee after what I did Thursday night… >.<), this tropical Californian transplant looks outside to see our resident squirrel boinging his furry little body on the bungie, stealing more dried corn and sunflower from the feeder.
WHOA. I thought squirrels hibernated!
Not so. After a brief internet research expedition on Squirrel Facts, it turns out that in winter, tree squirrels stay active while most ground squirrels hibernate. To survive, tree squirrels rely on nut reserves that they buried in the dirt and stored in trees during summer and fall. They also supplement their winter fare with the occasional foraged juicy bug, dried corn, peanut or eggroll.
According to Wiki, there's differing degrees of hibernation depending on the species. Hibernation means that the animal goes into a deep 'sleep.' Breathing and metabolism slow down to an almost undetectable crawl and the body temperature drops. A "true" hibernator, like frogs, are unresponsive throughout the winter. They cannot be roused in any way unless you raise the temperature.
Other types of hibernators sleep for intermittent periods of time, waking up occasionally to forage for food and water. I've got a few Biotech students like this. Fortunately, the vending machines are one floor away, so they can quickly find sustenance before returning to their winter slumber in class.
You're probably wondering, "What do frogs and turtles do during the winter?". Fear not dear reader, for I have the answer! Frogwatch says that aquatic frogs and turtles bury themselves in the leaf litter and dirt at the pond bottom. During this time, frogs become inactive and "mushy"; looking rather dead and brown. As long as the pond doesn't freeze over, and as long as the frog isn't moldy, decomposing, or upside-down, they're fine!
If you have an overwintering pet turtle, keep him in a box of dry straw in a cool place. Again, as long as he doesn't start to smell bad, Raphael will be back weilding his sai when things warm up in spring.
Remember the differing degrees of hibernation? Enchanted Learning's Hibernating Animal page, and the Environmental Education for Kids page can help you tell the difference! Bats, woodchucks and ground squirrels are true hibernators. Hibernating skunks and bears are not, and can be easily roused from their winter beauty sleep.
My advice? Think twice about kicking that sleeping bear. Otherwise, you'll become its Christmas dinner! Incidentally, it's okay to disturb a hibernating student. They may actually learn something from the experience.
Here's another cute book in case you're interested: Children's Book on Wintering Animals
Stay warm and cozy everyone!
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