Snow and Survival - Animal Adaptations in Winter

After a mild December, Winter has arrived in Mid-Michigan with a vengeance.  Projected temperatures for the next twenty-four hours are set to dip down to -1 degree Fahrenheit (-18 Celsius).

In addition to the cold temperatures, over the past week Mid-Michigan has also received several inches of snow and a day of freezing rain.  The snow and cold pose survival challenges for animals that remain in Michigan during the Winter.

Life during the Winter seems to occur at a much slower pace than it does during the other eight or nine months of the year.  Most of the birds that called the region home during the warmer months have migrated to warmer climates.  Insects seem to have disappeared - some lie dormant as adults, others spend the cold months as eggs, larvae, or pupae.  Reptiles, amphibians, and a few mammals lie still in hibernation until the weather improves.  Even most of the trees and other plants sit dormant and await the return of Spring.

For each animal that remains active here during the Winter survival comes down to two factors; can it find enough food (and avoid becoming food for another animal) and can they stay warm.  While part of staying warm is staying sheltered from wind and moisture, a big part of staying warm is being able to metabolize at a high enough rate to stay warm.  So in reality the ability to survive Winter in the northern United States comes down to finding enough food (and avoiding avoiding becoming food).