Gary’s Q&A

Listener question & Gary’s response · Transcript passage

Heather Swisher asks: My daughter asked me which animals hibernate and why some animals don’t. I have no idea.

There are different types of hibernation, and the word is often used to describe different sorts of behavior in which animals reduce their metabolism for periods of time.

While cold- and warm-blooded animals can both reduce their metabolism, only warm-blooded animals can truly hibernate. Some animals hibernate annually, while others hibernate as needed when food supplies are low.

Hibernation is a technique used by animals to survive periods of low food supply. This usually happens in colder climates when food is scarce in winter. Animals like bears gorge themselves to build fat reserves so they can live off that fat during winter hibernation.

This might be a topic worth going into more detail in a future episode.