Question

why do animals hibernate?​

Answer 1

Answer:

As winter approaches in New York, animals have two options: leave or deal with it. For non-migratory species, winter can be unforgiving. Food is hidden beneath the snow, water sources are frozen over, and frosty temperatures pierce through skin and fur. Many species have evolved to deal with these hardships by avoiding them altogether. During hibernation, an animal’s body temperature, heart rate, breathing, and other metabolic activities slow down significantly in order to conserve energy.

While resources are scarce, hibernation allows animals like bears, chipmunks, and bats to use their stored energy much more slowly. Just how slowly? One of New York State’s only “true” mammal hibernators, the little brown bat, may take a breath only once per hour. The groundhog, another “true” hibernator, will experience a heart rate drop from about 80 beats per minute to just 5. Come springtime, hibernators emerge to mate, have young, and recharge in a more hospitable environment.

This extraordinary evolutionary adaptation does not come without consequences. These animals can lose one-quarter of their overall weight during the winter, and their sleepy state can leave them susceptible to predation. Once they wake up, the animals are weak and must recover quickly if they hope to survive. If they don’t have enough energy stored, they may never wake up at all, but the risk is well worth it.

Explanation:

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