How Animals Prepare for Winter: Fun Facts About Hibernation, Migration, and Survival

When the days get shorter and colder, many animals start to prepare for winter! Have you ever wondered how animals survive in the snow and cold? Some animals hibernate, others migrate to warmer places, and some store food to make it through the chilly months. Let’s explore how animals get ready for winter and learn some cool facts about hibernation!

What Is Hibernation?

Hibernation is like a super-deep sleep that some animals use to survive when it’s too cold outside, and food is hard to find. During hibernation, animals slow down their bodies. Their heartbeats get slower, and they breathe less to save energy. They don’t eat or move much while they’re hibernating.

Animals That Hibernate:

• Bears: While we often think of bears when it comes to hibernation, did you know that they don’t sleep the whole winter? Bears go into a special kind of hibernation called torpor. They wake up sometimes to move around a bit but mostly rest to save energy.
• Bats: Bats hibernate in caves or other sheltered spots to avoid the cold. They hang upside down, slowing their breathing and heart rate.
• Frogs: Some frogs hibernate underwater! They bury themselves in mud at the bottom of ponds to stay warm and safe.
• Groundhogs: These furry animals are true hibernators. They dig deep burrows underground to hide away for the winter, where they sleep for months.

Migration: Moving to Warmer Places

Not all animals hibernate! Some animals prepare for winter by traveling long distances to places where the weather is warmer. This is called migration.

Animals That Migrate:

• Birds: Many birds, like geese and swallows, fly south to warmer places when it gets cold. They can travel thousands of miles! Have you ever seen birds flying in a “V” shape in the sky? That’s called a formation, and it helps them fly more easily.
• Monarch Butterflies: Monarch butterflies are tiny but powerful. They migrate thousands of miles from the United States to Mexico to stay warm during the winter.
• Whales: Some whales, like the gray whale, migrate to warmer waters to have their babies. They swim all the way from Alaska to Mexico!

Food Storage: Stocking Up for Winter

Other animals don’t hibernate or migrate. Instead, they prepare for winter by gathering and storing food. These animals collect nuts, berries, and seeds during the fall and save them to eat during the cold months.

Animals That Store Food:

• Squirrels: Squirrels are busy in the fall collecting nuts and acorns, which they hide in different places. When they get hungry in the winter, they dig up their hidden snacks!
• Beavers: Beavers gather branches and logs to store in their dams. When winter comes, they eat the bark to stay full.
• Chipmunks: Chipmunks use their big cheeks to carry seeds and nuts back to their burrows, where they store them to eat later.

Fun Hibernation Activity: Build a Hibernation Den Craft

What You Need:

• A shoebox or cardboard box, or brown paper bag
• Colored paper (brown, green, blue)
• Glue or tape, or stapler
• Scissors
• Cotton balls (optional)
• Markers or crayons
• Small toy animals (optional)
  
  Here is a tutorial of an example from the Lafeyette Public Library!

Instructions:

1. Create the Den: Start by taking your shoebox or cardboard box, and this will be your animal’s hibernation den. You can decorate the outside of the box with brown paper to make it look like a cave or underground burrow.
2. Add Winter Decorations: Use colored paper or cotton balls to make snow and trees around the den. You can cut out blue paper for a frozen pond, or add small cotton balls for snow.
3. Prepare the Inside: Decorate the inside of the den where your animal will sleep. Use soft paper, fabric scraps, or cotton balls to make a cozy spot for your hibernating animal.
4. Add the Animal: If you have small toy animals like bears, bats, or frogs, place them inside the den! If you don’t have any, draw or cut out pictures of animals and place them in their hibernation spot.

Now, you’ve created a warm, safe place for animals to sleep through the winter!

Learn More About Winter Survival!

• National Geographic Kids: How Animals Prepare for Winter
• Visit a Zoo or Wildlife Sanctuary: Check out your local zoo or a nearby wildlife sanctuary to see animals in person! Ask if they have exhibits about how animals survive during winter.

Now you know how animals prepare for winter! Whether they hibernate, migrate, or store food, animals have amazing ways to stay safe and warm during the cold months. Would you want to hibernate like a bear, or fly south like a bird?