How do animals manage to survive winter?

Today the air was clear and cold, while ice covered the trees and encased the snow making it white cement. But above the glistening trees, a flock of vultures rode the thermals and two hawks darted by with an unwanted escort of crows. Suddenly a pair of foxes raced across the field. How do they manage to survive in all this ice and snow? Nature has developed basic strategies to enable animals to deal with winter – endurance, migration, torpor, hibernation, estivation (reptiles & amphibians), and diapause (insects). Endurance means simply to “tough it out”. Deer, the birds visiting your feeders, the foxes and their small rodent prey, are examples of animals that are active all winter long. Throughout the centuries of evolution, they have adapted ways to survive winter. Some change their diet. Deer and rabbits switch from leafy greens to dry weeds and bark. For the deer this involves a gradual change in their stomach’s bacteria. Others, like the beaver and red squirrel, cache (store) food to munch on. Mammals take on a “winter” layer of fur that provides more insulation and sometimes camouflage. The short-tailed weasel changes from brown to white. All put on a thicker layer of fat for the extra energy required to fight the cold, look for food and remain safe. With the exception of birds, most rely on their sense of smell to locate food. Squirrels are sniffing out the nuts they hid in the fall. As are the weasels, foxes, coyotes and bobcats sniffing out their prey. Winter is the ultimate survival test for all who must endure and for some it is the last one. Next - Migration