![]() That leads to the question: Could people hibernate? Most scientists say no, but ever since lemurs were discovered to do so, some experts have wondered if a human hibernation-like state is possible, because lemurs are primates that are genetically similar to us. Research shows that a particular protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease is renewed in the brain cells of some hibernating animals, such as squirrels, during their deep sleep. ![]() Studying hibernation may also help us better understand neurodegenerative diseases. We can get clues for treating muscle disorders and degenerative bone diseases since hibernators don’t experience muscle and bone deterioration. We can learn how cells survive very cold temperatures, enabling doctors to better preserve human tissues for transplants. Understanding how that’s possible can give scientists insight into human conditions. Hibernation is an amazing adaptation, allowing animals to survive without damage to their body systems. Don’t deplete hibernating animals of that energy, which is essential for their survival. Waking up from hibernation requires a lot of energy. ![]() If you come upon one in your yard or while you’re hiking, it’s important not to disturb it. Hibernating animals are usually well hidden. Box turtles hibernate in underground burrows, and wood frogs cozy up in hollow logs or leaf piles. Some snakes sleep through the winter, with hundreds together to share body heat. Other mammals that lie dormant are chipmunks, hedgehogs and groundhogs.īumblebees hibernate-but only the queen bee, who digs a hole in the ground and stays there until spring arrives. This is because their little bodies make it more difficult for them to stay warm in cold weather. Small mammals, such as dormice, are the most typical hibernators. Because they are easily roused, though, some scientists don’t consider them true hibernators. The heart of a hibernating wood frog actually stops beating.īears are probably the first animals you think of when it comes to hibernation. An Arctic ground squirrel’s temperature can fall to –2.9 degrees Celsius, and a bat’s heart rate can slow from hundreds of beats per minute to just 11. Their body temperature drops, and their breathing and heart rate slow, often dramatically. ![]() These animals enter an extended state of torpor (decreased physiological activity). ![]()
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