With the onset of cold weather, some people begin to wonder how the four-legged inhabitants of the Earth endure winter. If we know for certain animals that they are beginning to deep sleep, then what does the other beast that we have heard almost nothing about? For example, what do rodents do when winter comes? Or does the mole fall into hibernation? Also, these issues may be associated with other issues that are worth discussing. Let's start in order.
Types of hibernation
Before proceeding to the discussion of this topic, it is worth noting that there is not only a winter form of sleep, called hibernation, but also summer, known to some as "estivation." There are also types of hibernation, which differ in their duration. It is seasonal, daily and irregular. The latter option may happen to the animal at the time of unexpected weather deterioration. In addition, there are states very similar to hibernation. They are called numbness, pseudo-hibernation, and simply prolonged sleep. The question may arise: who does not fall into hibernation, but simply is numb? Of the common creatures, these are lizards, toads, snakes, salamanders, and newts. Although outwardly all conditions may be similar to hibernation, nevertheless they differ in the processes that occur inside the body.
What is hibernation
Every living organism needs a certain amount of sleep in order to lead a full life. But some animals, unlike humans, are able to sleep without waking up for days or even months. What is hibernation? This is a condition in which the body does not require food intake. This is possible due to the slowed down functioning of physiological processes, such as breathing and heartbeat, as well as a decrease in body temperature. During the period of deep hibernation, the animal becomes almost cold-blooded due to a strong slowdown in all development processes. Therefore, it is natural to be interested in whether the mole falls into hibernation, because how else can he survive?
Why is hibernation necessary?
With the advent of winter, even clear days become very cold, and nights are frosty. Many animals find it difficult to get food for themselves.
Most birds escape from hunger, leaving their native lands, other animals survive steadily, someone has to die, and the rest go into hibernation. For what? In order not to freeze, the body needs enough energy, which can be obtained with food. But in winter, getting food is not so easy, and it takes a lot of energy to find it, and the food found may not make up for the cost of the animal. So, since the amount of food is limited during frosts, the natural question arises: does the mole hibernate in the winter, and who else from the animals would like to lie down in the cold?
Who is sleeping and who is awake?
Few animals hibernate from cold winters. These animals include dormouse, hamsters, bears, raccoons, badgers, chipmunks and gophers. Among those who are not averse to lie down, also include hedgehogs, all rodents, some types of possums, dwarf lemurs and some other animals from warm countries. In the cold, also do not meet bats, because they sleep soundly during this period. By the way, the bear falls into the stage of shallow hibernation, and it can be woken up, but the animal will be very dangerous, since it wakes up instantly. The bear attacks the one who disturbed him.
But there are those who do not fall into hibernation, as they are adapted to survive during the cold weather. These animals include hares and ungulates, which earn food by gnawing bark from trees. Predators also continue to stay awake, for example, wolves, foxes, lynxes and others. But many will be interested to know that moles do not hibernate in the winter, they continue their life.
Hibernation process
The animal can fall into hibernation at a zero mark on a thermometer, while the organism of the animal acquires the temperature of the mink. Small animals are usually in real, deep hibernation. Sometimes a heartbeat occurs with a frequency of just a beat per minute. Having gone to sleep, the animal, as if dying, can be picked up, thrashed, and he will not react. But once every few weeks or days, the animal wakes up briefly to drink water and go to the toilet, and some are even reinforced with food. After meeting the needs, the animal falls asleep again. Sometimes it takes a day.
By spring, animals lose almost half their weight, therefore, in the summer, animals seek to gain a new layer of fat. Interestingly, the effects of hibernation are not so apparent in bears. Although this beast wakes up very hungry and for the entire warm period he daily eats up for the future. A bear gains about 10-15 centimeters of fat over the summer.
Mole Overview
But let's talk a little more about underground creatures. So, does the mole hibernate in the winter? As we found out, this animal remains active all year round, despite the arrival of winter. The animal lives on its territory and builds underground tunnels, through which it moves freely. To do this, he has a sensitive muzzle, on which there is a proboscis. But for the quick movement and folding of the ground, the mole has two developed forelegs. The structure of these limbs is surprising - for the convenience of his palm "look" out.
The hind legs are almost not adapted to movement, but the animal does not suffer from this. To understand whether the mole hibernates or remains awake all winter, you need to figure out what lifestyle he leads.
Mole life
This animal is best adapted for living underground. Interestingly, this animal pulls out a new move with great speed. Periodically, it throws excess land to the surface, and it is from these knolls that we can determine that an animal crawled underground. A European mole, or ordinary mole (this is the name of the same animal), lining its den with soft materials. Usually he lives under earthen slides (molehills), under which there is an in-depth annular passage, narrowed up. One or two paths can lead into the den itself, from which about ten branches leave. This animal has its own "city" to inhabit at any time of the year.
Many, knowing that the animal is capable of digging tunnels deep enough, could not understand why the mole falls into hibernation. But in reality, these were only assumptions. Although some continue to argue that if this beast does not fall into hibernation, then in the most severe frosts it still slows down its vital activity and falls into a “nap”. In this regard, the question arises: how many days does a mole spend in hibernation? It is worth noting one feature of this animal, which will help to understand this issue.
