From time immemorial, the cold season has made certain adjustments to animate and inanimate nature. In many regions of the world, the establishment of cold weather is accompanied by snowfall and fairly low air temperatures. If for people the winter season is a completely natural, tolerant and expected phenomenon, then for many animals this is a real test of survival, requiring them to maximize dexterity and some preparation. The fauna in winter can be without exaggeration called dangerous races: only the strongest retain their positions.
Winter "strength test"
Mother nature itself determines how and when to “test the strength” of its children. And all because winter and animals for centuries have been in difficult relationships with each other. But time passed, the epochs replaced each other several times, and the evolution of the animal world put all the dots on the “i”: many representatives of the fauna during this period adapted to survive in the harsh climate. For example, while some animals are molting, during which they discard the “summer” fur and acquire “winter” fur, other animals prepare for the upcoming cold weather, stocking up with “food” and building a shelter for the winter.
Winter sleep
Animal life in winter is a real struggle for survival! Here are just the ways of such a struggle for everyone. For example, badgers, bears and raccoon dogs in the summer try to accumulate as much subcutaneous fat as possible, thanks to which they can survive severe colds. These animals will be able to accumulate a sufficient amount of fat reserves only if the year has turned out to be favorable and fruitful. Before the onset of cold weather, they prepare burrows (like badgers) or lairs (like bears) and go to rest, falling into a winter dream. By the way, these animals sleep very sensitively. There were times when the hunters didn’t even have time to get to the bear’s den, when the beast, through a dream, heard them and ran away from there.
Do you want to survive in the winter? Eat the bark of trees!
What animal do you think feeds on tree bark in winter? Of course, the herbivore! And it is not one. Almost all herbivorous animals in the cold eat only the bark of trees, since they have nothing more to eat. In the winter forests of Russia, it is mainly consumed by hares. It is worth noting that their winter feeding is very monotonous: twigs and bark of young trees (and shrubs). In severe frosts, hares often leave the forest and settle in nearby gardens for food. That is why gardeners are encouraged to trample the snow next to young fruit trees, wrapping their trunks. This will protect the culture from raids of hares.
Which animal feeds on tree bark in winter, except for hares? These are moose. But, unlike rabbits, they do not ruin gardens and kitchen gardens. They prefer to feed in coniferous and mixed forests. Basically, these animals eat up the bark of aspen, birch, willow, alder, mountain ash. They love moose and the thin ends of young branches, and even shoots of conifers. It is curious that they eat these shoots together with green needles. Moose bark with their long teeth. Often in severe cold weather the bark on the trees freezes very much, and the animals have to work hard: they are forced to scrap it. Sometimes this leads to soft lip injuries or tooth loss.
Who else eats the bark of trees in winter?
In addition to hares and moose, beavers love to enjoy young tree bark in winter. By the way, this is not surprising. The fact is that in general the whole life of beavers is connected with trees. From the branches and bark, these rodents make their own peculiar reserves for the winter. This happens at the bottom of certain reservoirs, since it is there that the wood "delicacy" retains its nutritional properties to the maximum until February. Beavers live in families and build in the water the so-called huts - permanent dwellings. To prevent their houses from being washed away by the current, rodents from time to time strengthen the dam. If the feed reserves for one reason or another begin to deplete in the winter, then hungry beavers can also catch their own dams. But this happens quite rarely, since these animals harvest up to 70 cubic meters of wood per family for the winter!
From predators to herbivores!
It is worth noting that moose, hares and beavers are not the only answer to the question: “Which animal feeds on tree bark in winter?” The above animals are, rather, leaders in eating tree bark. In addition to them, you can recall the wild boars, who also do not mind chewing on trees. Moreover, even some representatives of the canine family eat bark. It all depends on the condition of the animal in the winter. Sometimes even the most ardent predators cannot find a more tolerable food than tree bark. It is known that wolves, which are exterminators of wounded and sick animals, become scavengers in winter. But in a particularly unfavorable period, they turn into “herbivores”: in order to survive, they are forced to gnaw cones, tear a frozen berry under the snow, and, of course, rip the bark from the trees.
