Winter rest: How wildlife makes it through the cold season
Spending the winter in Florida is an appealing way to escape chilly Cape Cod. But it’s not the best option for wildlife, as arranging transportation and lodging can be tricky, and it’s hard to work a computer with claws.
Luckily, our beloved critters have developed clever strategies to cruise through the offseason in style. And if you like the idea of a long winter’s nap, some of these methods might be right up your alley! So, let’s take a look at some of the intriguing ways that help animals make the long journey to spring:
Black bears can remain in their den for nearly five months during the winter. Photo courtesy Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
Hibernation and torpor
According to the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW), hibernation “is a behavioral adaptation that allows animals to survive low temperatures and periods of time without food. When an animal hibernates, they decrease their body temperature, metabolic rate, heart rate, and respiratory rate. This energy reduction allows the animal to survive without eating or drinking when food becomes scarce during the winter.” This state can last for weeks or months.
In our region, woodchucks (also known as groundhogs) might be the star of the hibernation show. DFW labels them as “true hibernators,” and they take a wicked long nap, entering hibernation in late fall and emerging in early spring.
Bats are also known as true hibernators. But a deadly fungal disease called white-nose syndrome has decimated bat populations, causing them to wake up from hibernation early and burn through their fat reserves.
Chipmunks, skunks and bears
Other familiar animals get through the winter with a sort of “hibernation lite” approach. They will go in and out of a state of torpor, a period of reduced metabolic rate that can last for hours or days. Chipmunks fall into this category. According to Mass Audubon, they “wake every few days to feed on stockpiled food and to defecate.”
Woodchucks enter hibernation in late fall and emerging in early spring. Photo courtesy Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
Skunks decrease their activity during winter months, but they are not true hibernators. According to the state DFW, while they are usually solitary animals “there have been reports of communal winter denning, with some cases of 10 or more skunks gathered together to keep warm.” That is a party that you don’t want to crash!
And if winter evening temperatures rise above 30 degrees, skunks can become active, something to remember if you walk your dog at night.
When most people think about animals that hibernate, black bears come immediately to mind. But the scientific consensus is that bears tend to fall on the torpor side of the spectrum. According to the National Forest Foundation, “the main difference between hibernation and torpor is during torpor, the animal is able to wake up quickly to avoid danger, or if the opportunity exists, exit the den to feed.”
But black bears tend to really slow down this time of year. According to the state DFW, they “often remain in their den without eating, drinking, or excreting waste for nearly 5 months. Even so, their body temperature does not drop substantially and they can awaken easily.”
Chances are good that you will never stumble upon a sleeping bear on Cape Cod. However, it may not be an impossibility. In 2012, a male black bear was captured in Wellfleet after weeks of traveling up and down the peninsula.
Eastern box turtles are reptiles. They slow down in the winter by entering a state of brumation. Photo by Gerry Beetham
Brumation
Cape reptiles, including snakes and turtles, are also less active in winter. According to the National Park Service, “over the winter, when temperatures drop, reptiles may enter a form of hibernation, called brumation. During brumation, their heart rate, body temperature, and metabolism decrease. However, if temperatures increase for a day or two, reptiles may stop brumation and emerge to bask in the sun or forage for food.”
Perhaps the best-known Cape Cod reptile is the beautiful Eastern box turtle, listed as a Species of Special Concern in Massachusetts. They can live up to 100 years in the wild, but face challenges from loss of habitat and road mortality.
Insects and diapause
According to The Ohio State University, “diapause is a form of animal dormancy that is exhibited by insects and other arthropods. It is similar, but not entirely equivalent to hibernation exhibited in a number of mammals. Diapause allows insects and their relatives to survive through periods of unfavorable, harsh environmental conditions.”
Winter on Cape Cod can be challenging for people, but animals are experts at making it through the cold times. Photo by Gerry Beetham
And it’s not just for adult insects. Depending on the species, diapause can occur during the egg, larva, nymph, pupa or adult stage of life. Gabrielle Sakolsky, Superintendent of the Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project said most Cape mosquitoes overwinter in the egg stage.
In the arthropod department, cold winter temperatures tend to slow down ticks, according to Escher Cattle, Entomologist for the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension. But that doesn’t mean you should let your tick guard down in the winter, as tick-borne illnesses can be life-changing. “It’s a slightly less risky time, but the risk is not zero,” said Cattle.
On your next winter outing to an HCT property, take a little time to think about how our wild friends are slowing down and pacing themselves as we chug toward spring. It may inspire you to take a good long nap!
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