And the beat goes on: The reliable heartbeat of hibernators
Tuesday, May 7, 2013 - 07:00
in Biology & Nature
At the current temperatures, all hibernators have probably emerged from their winter hibernation and are enjoying the warm weather. However, this is quite different during the cold season. Many small mammals such as marmots, hedgehogs, bats and some hamsters, and even some birds have a particular skill: they can induce a state of inactivity and reduced metabolic rate to significantly lower their energy consumption when food becomes limited and ambient temperatures drop. Fat depots accumulated before the winter, are consumed during hibernation.