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IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature

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As the weather starts to get colder, you may notice that your favourite animals are missing. While some may be hibernating, many being a trip to warmer climates. This is a list of ten amazing migrations.

#1 Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)

Why I'm a chart topper: I have the longest migration of any animal.

How far I travel: 71,000 kilometres a year, this adds up to 2.4 million kilometres over my 30 year lifespan.

Where I go: I fly from Greenland and the Arctic to Antarctica; from one end of the world to the other!
www.arctictern.info
#2 Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)

Why I'm a chart topper: I have the longest migration of any mammal.

How far I travel: One female humpback whale travelled more than 9,800 kilometres.

Where I go: I move from the tropics and head north to my feeding grounds. Not all of us travel together; pregnant whales and those who had calves in the previous year go north first.

www.eol.org/pages/328575
www.nature.com/news/2010/101012/full/news.2010.532.html

#3 Sooty Shearwaters (Puffinus Griseus)

Why I'm a chart topper: I have the second longest migration.

How far I travel: 65,000 kilometres

Where I go: I travel from my breeding grounds in New Zealand and Chile north to feeding grounds covering around 724 to 1096 kilometres a day.
www.terranature.org/sootyshearwatermigration.htm
#4 Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

Why I'm a chart topper: My migration cycle is longer than my life span so no one butterfly makes the entire round trip.

How far I travel: 3,100 kilometres

Where I go: I arrive in Canada in June, then in September (two to three generations later) I head south to Mexico.

www.monarchwatch.org
www.cbif.gc.ca/spp_pages/butterflies/species/Monarch_e.php

#5 Dragonflies mainly the Globe skimmers (Pantala flavescens)

Why I'm a chart topper: I have the longest known insect migration.

How far I travel: 14,000 - 18,000 kilometres

Where I go: I head out from India to the Maldives, Seychelles, Mozambique and Uganda, using the wind to help me along. I go through 4 generations for the complete migration cycle. Just like the monarch no one dragonfly completes the migration on their own.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8149000/8149714.stm
#6 Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

Why I'm a chart topper: I swim upstream to spawn where I was born.

How far I travel: 3,000 kilometres
After hatching I spend time in fresh water from three months to a year. I migrate to the Pacific Ocean, then head back home to the river I was born in to spawn.
www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/species-especes/salmon-saumon/facts-infos/chinook-quinnat-eng.htm
#7 Adélie Penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae)

Why I'm a chart topper: I have the longest migration of all of the penguins.

How far I travel: 17,600 kilometres

Where I go: I follow the sun from the breeding colonies to winter feeding grounds.
antarcticsun.usap.gov/science/contenthandler.cfm?id=2230
#8 Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)

Why I'm a chart topper: We fly non-stop over the Atlantic Ocean. The migration is so tough that some young don't even migrate north until their second year.

How far I travel: 3,000 kilometres

Where I go: In mid-May I take off from South America heading north towards my breeding grounds in the sub-arctic of Canada and Alaska. In July I head back south again.
www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?id=74
# 9 Wildebeest or Gnu (Connochaetes)

Why I'm a chart topper: I am continually on the move in search of grass and water, following the cycles of rainfall to help guide me. Migrating can be very dangerous with lots of predators, that's why the young travel on the inside of the herd, to help protect them.

How far I travel: The Serengeti population of wildebeest is a huge nomadic group that migrates 1,600 kilometres each year.

Where I go: Beginning in January and February we move from the Serengeti plains west towards Lake Victoria.

www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/wildebeest
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Connochaetes_taurinus.html

#10 Red Crab of Christmas Island (Gecarcoidea natalis)

Why I'm a chart topper: Our trip is synchronized so all of us move across the island together. There are so many of us that sometimes sections of roads have to be closed to allow us to get through.

How far I travel: 5 kilometres, traveling up to 12 hours over 5 days.

Where I go: At the beginning of the wet season (October/November) I head out from the forest to the coast to breed. The males arrive at the sea first followed by the females who soon outnumber them. As tiny babies (only 5 mm across) we travel back from the sea to the forest, a trip that takes about nine days.
www.environment.gov.au/parks/christmas/visitor-activities/migration.html
If you think animals are amazing, the Earth Rangers Podcast is for you!

Join Earth Ranger Emma as she travels the world on a quest to solve some of nature's greatest mysteries! With top ten countdowns, animal guessing games and epic animal showdowns, this is a journey you won't want to miss!

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Top Ten Most Amazing Migrations | Earth Rangers Wild Wire Blog

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As the weather starts to get colder, you may notice that your favourite animals are missing. While some may be hibernating, many being a trip to warmer climates. This is a list of ten amazing migrations. Why I'm a chart topper: I have the longest migration of any animal.

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Reasons to Move

Some animals travel relatively short distances to find food or more favorable living or breeding conditions.Most animals that migrate do so to find food or more livable conditions. Some animals migrate to breed.

The Atlantic Salmon begins its life in a river and migrates downstream to the ocean. After several years, it heads back upstream to lay eggs and begin the cycle all over again.

Some crustaceans also migrate for breeding. In many species of crabs, the females will move into shallow coastal waters to mate and lay her eggs, then they return to deeper ocean waters.

Frogs and toads often move very short distances to breeding ponds and lakes to lay their eggs. Some sea turtles, like the loggerhead, return year-after-year to the same sandy beach on which they hatched to lay their eggs.

Sometimes animals migrate to find a place to hibernate. Little brown bats live in trees in warm months, then in cold weather they migrate to caves where it is warmer.

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Reasons to Move Some animals travel relatively short distances to find food or more favorable living or breeding conditions.Most animals that migrate do so to find food or more livable conditions. Some animals migrate to breed. The Atlantic Salmon begins its life in a river and migrates downstream to the ocean.

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-Short days
-Environmental Conditions
-Limitations of food
-Cold temperatures

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When you think of hibernation, bears and groundhogs slumbering throughout the winter likely come to mind. However, furry creatures aren't the only animals that take long rests, it doesn't only happen in the winter, and they're not just sleeping. During summer, some animals including reptiles, insects, and amphibians enter estivation, a period of extended torpor that occurs in hot months.

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When you're a wild animal, surviving harsh winter weather and food shortages can be a challenge. Animals have adapted in many ways, one of which is hibernation. Though often thought to be a long sleep, hibernation is in fact very different, with animals lowering their metabolic rate, temperature, heart rate and breathing to reduce their need for food.

10. Bears

While bears are probably the first animal you think of when you think hibernation, they don't actually hibernate, well not in the true sense at least. Bears go into torpor, which while similar to hibernation is different. When in torpor bears reduce both their heart and breathing rate, and their temperature drops, but less so than animals that hibernate. When in torpor bears can and do wake up easily, but they can go for days without waking, eating, drinking or going to the toilet.

3. Hedgehogs

Hedgehogs can hibernate for weeks or months depending on how cold the winter gets. During hibernation, hedgehogs can drop their heart rate by up to 90% but may wake up briefly if it gets too cold. The increased heart rate when they wake warms them up slightly before they go back to sleep.

2. Bumblebees

Not all bees hibernate, but for the bumblebee, hibernation is a part of life, well for the queen at least. All males and worker bees die when the temperature drops, leaving the queen to find a suitable spot to wait out the winter. When temperatures rise, the queen emerges, builds a nest and lays a whole new colony.

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When you're a wild animal, surviving harsh winter weather and food shortages can be a challenge. Animals have adapted in many ways, one of which is hibernation. Though often thought to be a long sleep, hibernation is in fact very different, with animals lowering their metabolic rate, temperature, heart rate and breathing to reduce their need for food.

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Hibernation is a state of inactivity in an animal brought about by short day lengths, cold temperatures and limitations of food.

Are all "hibernators" the same?

No. Some animals are classified as "deep hibernators". Deep hibernation is a state in which an animal is inactive for many days or weeks. In deep hibernation the animal's body temperature drops to around five degrees C. Deep hibernation has also been called "true hibernation". Other animals exhibit a less profound inactive state called "torpor". Torpor may be very short-term (the cold hours of the night, for example) and involves the drop of the animal's body temperature to no less that fifteen degrees C. An animal in torpor is also capable of relatively quick arousal.

Hibernation is a survival strategy that can be very successful in environments in which food is scarce or just difficult to find during a long, cold winter season. Dropping into deep hibernation or into a torpid state allows the animal to use their body's energy reserves at a slower rate than they would if they were maintaining themselves at their typical basal metabolic rate. Some ecologists refer to hibernation as "time migration". Hibernation allows the animal to skip over the cold, stressful seasons and only expend itself fully in those months of abundant food and moderate climatic conditions. A major disadvantage to hibernation, though, is that the hibernating animal is quite defenseless when it is in a deep hibernative or even torpid state. A very secure hibernating den (the "hibernaculum") is needed to protect the inactive animal.

Do hibernators have to hibernate?

Some hibernators display what is called "predictive dormancy". These animals go into a hibernative state usually in response to the decreasing day lengths which anticipate the approaching winter. "Diapause" in insects is an example of this "hardwired" hibernation response. Some poikilothermic ("cold blooded") animals (like some reptiles and amphibians) also display obligatory hibernative responses as day length decreases. The reliance of these animals upon warmth from their environments for their body heat necessitates that they anticipate the onset of cold conditions and not be caught out of their hibernaculae by potentially lethal cold temperatures.

Other animals enter their hibernative state only after being exposed to adversely cold conditions. These animals display "consequential dormancy". The disadvantage of consequential dormancy is that the organism is exposed to potentially damaging environmental conditions (poikilotherms in particular are especially vulnerable to the stresses of consequential dormancy). If, however, the hibernative response occurs immediately after the cold stress, then damaging exposure is minimized. A major advantage of consequential dormancy is that the animal is capable of activity right up until winter conditions become excessively stressful or possibly can even be active all winter long if the season is particularly mild. This flexibility is especially advantageous for species living in fluctuating, unpredictable environments or in species that are expanding their ranges into either higher or lower latitudes.

What are some Nature Trail animals and their hibernation patterns?

Deep hibernators: chipmunks, woodchucks, box turtles, black snakes, garter snakes, toads.
Torpor hibernators: deer mice, black bears, skunks, raccoons.
Non-hibernators: gray squirrels, shrews, voles, red foxes, wild turkeys.

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Hibernation is a state of inactivity in an animal brought about by short day lengths, cold temperatures and limitations of food. Are all "hibernators" the same? No. Some animals are classified as "deep hibernators". Deep hibernation is a state in which an animal is inactive for many days or weeks.

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-Complex biochemical adaptations: Chemical that prevents ice formation (insects).
-Physiological adaptations: Having big feet (caribou, lynx, snowshoe hares).
-Behavioral adaptations: Fluffing feathers, huddling together, go below ground (subnivean)

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The goal of this activity is for students to learn more about how animals cope with winter.

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Look up an animal from from a local environment and research how the animal copes in the winter months. You will complete the research sheet and then share with the class what you have found.

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1. Find your animal.
2. Research the animal to find out the adaptation strategy that the animal uses.
3. Fill out the sheet.
4. Present to the class.

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"The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant, "What good is it?" If the land mechanism as a whole is good, then every part is good, whether we understand it or not. If the biota, in the course of aeons, has built something we like but do not understand, then who but a fool would discard seemingly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering."
Aldo Leopold (Round River, 1953, published posthumously

As humans, we do a lot of tinkering with our ecosystems - sometimes on purpose and sometimes by accident. These ecosystems and the natural resources that define them are a source of nourishment for our own species and a major part of our life support system.. The living parts of these systems are various plant and animal species. The big wildlife species, like moose and bear, are easy to identify as parts of our local wildlife fauna. The smaller invertebrates and microfauna in soils, water, and air also play crucial roles in ecosystem processes and functioning. Some of the services they provide include nutrient cycling, soil aeration, water purification, and pollination - they also feed the larger species. All species are "cogs and wheels" in our life support system, and as one can imagine, they often can be hard to track.

That is what MDIFW's Research and Assessment Section in Bangor does to help fulfill the Department's mission. We use various methods of research to assess Maine's diverse species of wildlife. What is it? Where is it? How many are there? What habitat features does it use or select? Is there any immediate threat? Is there a long-term threat? Can human or other impacts be mitigated? Is it in danger of local extinction now, and if so, how do we recover it, or, should we even bother to try? What is a suitable distribution and abundance of a species within the state? Is it abundant and productive enough to be harvested, and if so, how so?

From the top of Katahdin and on her side where we find the Roaring Brook mayfly - down to the west branch of the Penobscot where a wading moose feeds on a hot summer day - to the sandy beaches of southern Maine where a few nesting plovers run the gauntlet of beachgoers, dogs, ATVs, feral cats, and crows - it's a challenging task, but there are strategies for success. We try new technologies and methods when feasible. We constantly strive for cooperative efforts and efficient, measurable approaches to conservation, informed by the best available wildlife science. We depend on successful partnerships with volunteers, landowners, academics, private consultants, and other government agency biologists.

MDIFW has been a progressive agency with its formalized system for assessing species' status and incorporating public input into goals, objectives, and strategies that build the management systems for Maine's wildlife. There are, and may always be, shortfalls to the management systems and publicly-derived objectives. Some objectives go unmet, and more species information could almost always reduce uncertainties surrounding species conservation and management. We will continue to work with what we have, and we will continue to look for ways to do more with less, so that Mainers' unfilled and formal requests might be met in the future.

The links on this page will take you to a great deal of valuable information, photographs, and maps regarding the broad array of wildlife species that occupy the State of Maine and our efforts to protect and manage them for the public good. You can also find downloadable annual Research and Management Reports, Species Assessments, Species Management Systems, and other informative documents from the "Reports & Publications" section for later reading. If you are looking for other information, please let us know; we are here to serve you and Maine's wildlife heritage.

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"The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant, "What good is it?" If the land mechanism as a whole is good, then every part is good, whether we understand it or not.

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From frozen lakes to 24-inch snowfalls, New England's powerful winters bring dramatic changes to landscapes and ecosystems across the region.

Wild animals have three main options in the face of these winters: migrate to more hospitable climes, find a cozy place to hibernate, or endure the season's often punishing conditions. Those that stay and withstand winter have adapted to deep snow, darker days, and extreme cold in fascinating and wondrous ways.

This post explores the seasonal adaptations and behaviors of four species found in New England's winter forests: the Eastern Moose, Canada Lynx, Great Gray Owl and Northern Hawk Owl.

Each winter, these species navigate forest ecosystems very different from summer's peaceful and sun-dappled landscape. Tasks like finding a tree to shelter under are impacted by the season, as deciduous forests in winter are often colder than nearby coniferous ones. Wind and snow howl through leafless deciduous trees, while evergreens' dark needles and snow-covered boughs combine to form an insulating blanket.

All four animals grapple with challenges like finding food in these transformed and snow-ridden forests, but they go about the business of enduring the season in very different ways.

Keep reading to learn how the three predators-with their thick fur and feathers, their silent feet and wings-are well equipped for the coldest months of the year, while the herbivorous moose has a harder time coping with winter conditions.

Eastern Moose
Scientific name: Alces alces americana
Aquatic plants, or the lack thereof, lie at the heart of the Eastern Moose's winter struggles.

New England-based moose rely heavily on sodium-rich aquatic vegetation and other high-quality forage during warmer months. These resources disappear in winter, and so moose undertake a season-long battle to provide their immense bodies with sufficient energy when only lower quality, woody browse is available.

In the fall, moose gear up for the lean days ahead by growing a thick winter coat and accumulating as much fat as possible. They metabolize this stored fat throughout the winter-and lose a great deal of weight in the process-to compensate for seasonal malnutrition.

Bull moose also save energy in winter by shedding their antlers, which can weigh up to 40 pounds. Carrying that much extra weight would be a poor use of already taxed energy reserves.

Moose have one more trick up their sleeve: Read about their winter diet below to see how moose's unusual leg movements help them find food in snowy weather.

A Moose's Winter Diet

Northern New England's woods in winter form a moose cafeteria. Our largest regional herbivore eats the twigs, buds and small branches of almost any shrub it can reach. One study in Maine that examined oven-dried moose dung found that moose consumed balsam fir, beech, hawthorn, poplar, maple and even poison ivy. Another study about what captive moose would eat when placed in wild settings found they consumed more than 100 different species of plants.

And no matter what is on the menu, moose eat a lot of it. They are estimated to consume anywhere from 20 to 60 pounds of twigs a day in winter. As a result, moose browse can have a major influence on how quickly forests regrow.

In landscapes where moose and North American Beaver are both abundant, moose will often browse extensively in open "beaver meadows," the grassy areas left behind when beavers temporarily abandon a dam after exhausting the food around it. Moose browsing can keep these meadows open for additional years, spacing out the return of beavers to their former pond, and perhaps even limiting beaver populations at a landscape scale.

To consume such vast amounts of food, moose rely on their ability to move around in deep snow. Unique joint construction allows moose to lift their legs straight up out of snow banks, which helps them move swiftly and efficiently even in deep snow. While this ability makes snow less of an obstacle to moose than to deer, they still prefer hard-packed surfaces like snowmobile trails when they can find them.

So, look out for nature's winter lawnmower when you're in the backwoods of northern New England.

Canada Lynx
Scientific name: Lynx canadensis
Facing a fierce New England winter as a kitten is surely a daunting task, so it's a good thing Canada Lynx spend their first 9-10 months with their mothers.

This means that when kittens take their long, lanky legs and enormous feet out onto snow banks and slippery ice for the first time, they do so under parental supervision. This is what the youngsters were born to do, even if their steps are initially a little ungainly-lynx are true winter specialists.

In New England, the federally threatened Canada Lynx is found in the northern forests of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. This mid-sized cat primarily hunts Snowshoe Hare, so much so that lynx will only settle in territories that have established hare populations. They stalk and ambush hare and other prey from the ground even when there's deep snow cover; this is also a skill set passed onto juveniles by their mothers.

Several adaptations allow lynx to live in the harshest of conditions, including a dense winter coat and excellent night vision that serves them well when days grow short, but their feet are what really set the cats apart.

Their snowshoe-like paws have an unusually large surface area relative to the lynx's weight, and they become even broader when the cat is on the move thanks to easily spread toes. Add in some thick fur between the toes, and you've got feet that move smoothly over soft, deep snow.

Balancing Lynx and Marten Habitat

Snowshoe Hares' preferred habitat is young and dense softwood forests, and where Snowshoe Hares go, Canada Lynx follow. In northern New England, this type of forest forms primarily as regeneration following harvests or large-scale natural disturbances. Young forests, with their abundant sunshine and generally higher summer temperatures, also provide foraging habitat for some insect-eating birds, including some that prefer to nest in mature closed-canopy forests.

These young forests and the harvesting that often precedes them are not ideal for all species, however. In an effort to protect habitat for a broad array of wildlife, NEFF and other regional organizations are focusing on developing a prescription for Exemplary Forestry. Exemplary Forestry will continue to deliver the wood products society needs, while also providing a balance of forest management strategies to support the very different habitat needs of two key species: the Canada Lynx and the American Marten.

In contrast to lynx, marten need large tracts of mature forest and a latticework of tree cover, and their preferred habitat combined with that of the lynx represents a wide range of forest ecosystems. Forests that are managed to protect the habitat of both species will collectively benefit more than 75 percent of other forest mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

Imagine walking at night on a solid crust of snow-one of those "bulletproof" crusts that will hold full-grown adults. Suddenly your flashlight catches a hint of movement, and a huge owl plunges down from above and punches through the crust to grab a mouse.

The Great Gray Owl, which employs this powerful hunting technique, and the Northern Hawk Owl are both adept at surviving incredibly harsh winters.

They live year-round in the boreal forests of Canada and Alaska, and their ranges extend as far north as the tree line-the very top of the forested world. They also have populations in the forests of Northern Eurasia, and in the case of the Great Gray Owl, the Pacific Northwest.

While they don't migrate to escape winter weather, they are known to wander and will sometimes relocate within their usual ranges in search of food.

Periodically, groups of these raptors go even further afield into the northern United States in wintertime movements known as irruptions or invasions that are triggered by food shortages. New England is a common touchdown point in these years, and what a remarkable sight Great Gray Owls and Northern Hawk Owls make when they spend the winter in local forests.

Great Gray Owl
Scientific name: Strix nebulosa
Great Gray Owls are one of North America's tallest owls, reaching nearly three feet in height, but a great deal of their bulk is made up of feathers and they weigh less than the shorter but less-feathered Great Horned Owl. This added insulation, which can stand up to bitter cold, is just one of their several seasonal adaptations.

These birds' asymmetrical ear openings-the left is higher on the head than the right-help them hunt by sound alone, even if their prey is scurrying around under a thick layer of crusted snow.

When they make their move to grab prey with needle-sharp talons, they can reach rodents and other small mammals more than 15 inches below the snow.

Great Gray Owls have one other interesting way of interacting with hard snow. While they rarely walk on bare ground, they walk and even run easily on solid snow crusts.

Northern Hawk Owl
Scientific name: Surnia ulula
Northern Hawk Owls illustrate one of the realities of researching species well suited to harsh conditions and remote wilderness: Scientists sometimes struggle to reach the animals in question, let alone study them.

Northern Hawk Owls' low population density in their usual range provides an additional challenge, and very few studies have been conducted about their breeding biology in the spring and summer in the far north. This means their southward irruptions provide a useful opportunity to observe the birds, though many questions remain.

One aspect of the species that is well documented is the reason for its name. Their behavior, flight profile and body structure are unusual for North American owls, and resemble those of some hawk species like the Cooper's Hawk-another forest raptor.

For example, Northern Hawk Owls have similar diets and hunting habitat to Great Gray Owls, but they depend more on eyesight than hearing for hunting, and hunt primarily in daylight. Their ability to spot prey up to half a mile away is beneficial in any season.

Their reliance on eyesight doesn't hold them back in winter. Their hearing is still sharp, and Northern Hawk Owls are able to locate and catch prey hidden up to about 10 inches under snow.

One major concern for wild animals that remain in winter-bound habitat is the absence of liquid water, and this is another area where Northern Hawk Owls have demonstrated season-specific skills. They have been observed eating snow after consuming prey and taking snow baths, two useful workarounds.
Writing by Tinsley Hunsdorfer. Top Great Gray Owl photo by Judd Patterson.

Posted by New England Forestry Foundation

On November 27, 2017

0 Comments

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From frozen lakes to 24-inch snowfalls, New England's powerful winters bring dramatic changes to landscapes and ecosystems across the region. Wild animals have three main options in the face of these winters: migrate to more hospitable climes, find a cozy place to hibernate, or endure the season's often punishing conditions.

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The calendar may say December, but with the cold winds blowing and the snowdrifts piling up, it feels like we're much later into winter. Vermonters typically take one of three different approaches to winter. Some (usually retired) Vermonters go the 'snowbird' approach, spending the winter in a warmer southern climate. Others 'hibernate,' staking out a warm spot next to the woodstove with a cup of cocoa, going outside only when absolutely necessary. But hardier Vermonters embrace winter, breaking out the skis or snowshoes, dusting off the sled, and generally reveling in the snow.

Wildlife follow the same three basic strategies to make it through the tough winter months. From birds that migrate south, to bears that cozy up and snooze the winter away, to moose that stick it out in the cold, wildlife approach winter using familiar tactics.

The Migrators

Birds, like people, don't employ just a single strategy to get through winter. Many species migrate, but in different directions and at different times. The warblers generally start heading south to the Gulf Coast by August, whereas some ducks and geese may not head south until December, particularly in years where ponds and lakes remain open late. Loons head east--not south--to spend the winter in the ocean along coastal New England.

Other birds, from up north such as snowy owls, redpolls, rough-legged hawks, or snow buntings, migrate into Vermont. Additionally, not every member of a bird species will arrive at a single strategy - some individual bald eagles or blue jays stay in Vermont for the winter while others head out of town. And many of our resident bird species stay close to home, including chickadees, waxwings, nuthatches, juncos, ravens, and woodpeckers. With more elbow room at the feeder or fruit tree, these year-round residents face less competition for food.

One winged migrator stands out from the rest of the pack: the monarch butterfly. Monarchs are one of only a small group of butterflies known to engage in, as birds do, a north-south migration, with most eastern monarchs overwintering at a single site in the mountains of central Mexico. But on their return, a monarch that leaves its wintering grounds in Mexico will never make it to Vermont.

According to Mark Ferguson, zoologist for Vermont Fish & Wildlife, "Instead, several generations are born and die along the way, meaning that the grandchildren or great-grandchildren of the monarch leaving Mexico at the end of winter eventually arrives in Vermont each summer."

The Hibernators

Reptiles and amphibians simply lay low (aka, go dormant) through Vermont's winter months. Most frogs and salamanders hibernate under rotting leaves and logs on the forest floor. Turtles while away the winter on the bottoms of ponds and rivers. And snakes generally spend the winter in mammal burrows or rock crevices below the frost line, sometimes with multiple species of snake curled up together in the same den.

Conversely, bears don't "hibernate" in the traditional sense. Unlike other hibernating mammals such as woodchucks or bats, bears' body temperature and heart rate stay close to normal during the winter, which they spend in more of a deep sleep than a true state of hibernation. They do this not to avoid the snow and cold (bears have thick fur and are well-adapted to cold temperatures) but to conserve energy while they wait out the winter months until food again becomes available.

"Bears are triggered to enter their den when food becomes scarce in fall or early winter, usually following a heavy snowfall," said Forrest Hammond, Vermont Fish & Wildlife's lead bear biologist. "In spring, the rains and warm temperatures cause bears to leave their dens in search of uncovered nuts and green shoots that start to emerge from the melting snowpack."

Hammond says that winter rains can make bears uncomfortable and restless and may force many bears from their dens to seek drier accommodations. "Bears sleep soundly in winters when deep snow covers the entrances to their dens but during years with little snow, bears are exposed and awaken easily."

The survivors and thrivers

Deer, moose, beavers, otters, and many other mammals are active throughout the winter. White-tailed deer are at the northern edge of their range in Vermont and winter is the limiting factor that defines how many deer can survive here. When snows get deep and temperatures plummet, deer seek out patches of forest with thick evergreen trees that protect them from biting winds and deep snow, making the conservation of these deer wintering areas vitally important.

Deer don't eat much throughout the winter and deplete their fats stores as the winter months drag on. Late March through April is a critical time of year; if winter lingers too long and they don't have opportunities to feed on emerging plants, the statewide deer herd usually declines.

Conversely, moose are well adapted to winter and--when healthy--are unfazed by the cold. They can traverse deep snows atop their long, spindly legs. In fact, a harsh winter by human standards benefits moose, as late season snows can take a welcome toll on the moose's main parasite, the winter tick. Moose are so well adapted to cold temperatures that they often find summer more of a challenge, developing heat stress at 57 degrees or more. When temperatures get hot, moose may stop feeding to seek out cool waters to wade in. As climate change continues to drive up summer temperatures, this heat sensitivity worries some biologists who are pessimistic about the moose's future Vermont.

Giving wildlife a helping hand

For the adventuresome and curious, winter in Vermont provides a unique window into the secret world of otherwise invisible wild animals. With the snow come mammal and bird tracks, nibbled buds, and other evidence of active wildlife. These signs bring the seemingly empty and still forest alive and remind us that wildlife are all around and constantly on the move.

Surviving winter can difficult in Vermont. Wildlife need to have thick cover for shelter, an appropriate den site, open water to drink, wild food to eat, and the ability to move from place to place easily. These resources are all found in healthy and connected habitats.

To ensure wildlife thrive all year round, Vermonters can make a difference and protect connected habitats throughout the state. Landowners can work with a wildlife biologist or forester to improve habitat on their property to give wildlife a helping hand. Other Vermonters can help wildlife by purchasing a Vermont Habitat Stamp at www.vtfishandwildlife.com. The stamp costs $15 with donations going to the conservation of important fish and wildlife statewide habitat--everything from streambanks and vernal pools to denning and wintering areas for all the species in Vermont.

Photos and article by Tom Rogers, Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department

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Wildlife in Winter, How Vermont's wild animals survive our harsh winter weather

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The calendar may say December, but with the cold winds blowing and the snowdrifts piling up, it feels like we're much later into winter. Vermonters typically take one of three different approaches to winter. Some (usually retired) Vermonters go the 'snowbird' approach, spending the winter in a warmer southern climate.

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Mammals include humans and all other animals that are warm-blooded vertebrates (vertebrates have backbones) with hair. They feed their young with milk and have a more well-developed brain than other types of animals.

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Puffin Picture

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Puffin Facts Facts About Puffins Tufted Puffin Puffin Predators Pacific Puffin Puffin Animal Atlantic Puffin Habitat Puffin Burrow Horned Puffin Puffin Beak Cute Puffin Puffin Feet Puffling Baby Puffin Puffin Penguin Types of Puffins Puffin Bird Horned Puffin Alaska Underwater Atlantic Puffin Puffin Species What Are Puffins Puffin Fun Facts

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Coyote Picture

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coyote adaptations in the winter - Google Search

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Coyote Adaptations: Lesson for Kids - Video & Lesson Transcript ... 300 × 215 - 19k - jpg study.com

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Bobcat Picture

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Bobcat winter adaptations - Google Search

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What Adaptations Does a Bobcat Have? | Sciencing 3776 × 2535 - 5110k - jpg sciencing.com

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Moose Picture

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moose adaptations in winter - Google Search

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Taiga Adaptations - Moose 800 × 535 - 118k - jpg watchawannaknowboutmoose.weebly.com

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Coyote Picture

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coyotes adaptations in the winter - Google Search

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moose adaptations for winter - Google Search

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Taiga Adaptations - Moose 800 × 535 - 118k - jpg watchawannaknowboutmoose.weebly.com

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bobcat adaptations in winter - Google Search

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Bobcat Adaptations: Lesson for Kids | Study.com 320 × 314 - 46k - jpg study.com

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chipmunks adaptations winterkids - Google Search

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Survival Adaptations for Chipmunks 3300 × 2357 - 1945k - jpg sciencing.com

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COMMON GARTERSNAKE
Thamnophis s. sirtalis

Background and Range: The common gartersnake is perhaps the most common, widely distributed, and familiar of all North American snakes. There are many species, subspecies, and races of gartersnakes comprising the genus Thamnophis. In Connecticut, the gartersnake is found throughout the state, from sea level to the highest elevations, and from urban areas to "wilderness."

The closely related common ribbonsnake resembles the gartersnake in appearance and habits. However, the ribbonsnake is less common in the state and is listed as a species of special concern.

In North America, the common gartersnake is found from Maine to central Missouri and from central Ontario to Florida.

Description: The gartersnake is marked with a pattern of three light stripes on a dark body, although the pattern can vary. One narrow stripe runs down the center of the snake's back, with a broad stripe on each side. The stripes are usually yellow, but can be shades of blue, green, or brown. Between the center and each side stripe are 2 rows of alternating black spots. The scales of the gartersnake are keeled (a raised ridge is found along each scale) and the belly is yellow and pale green. Adults range in size between 18 and 26 inches in length, but can measure up to 42 inches long. Juvenile garter snakes resemble adults.

It is difficult to distinguish between the similar-looking gartersnake and ribbonsnake in the field. In comparison, the gartersnake is more heavy-bodied than the ribbonsnake; has a proportionately shorter tail (less than one fourth its total length); is less swift and agile; and has lateral stripes on scale rows 2 and 3. The gartersnake also can be more variably colored and more blotched or patterned. Some individuals have well-defined striping and head markings; however, the majority have poorly defined patterns when compared to ribbonsnakes. Gartersnakes are found in a wide variety of habitats, from dry to wet, whereas ribbonsnakes are usually found in and near shallow water.

Habitat and Diet: The gartersnake's success is due to its opportunistic nature to both habitat use and food habits. The snake uses a variety of habitats, such as deciduous forests; forest edges; fields; swamps; bogs; stream, river, and pond edges; hedgerows; overgrown lawns; and grassy areas. Snakes are often seen basking on wood piles, stone walls, hedges, and rocks.

Gartersnakes feed on a variety of small animals. Amphibians (frogs, toads, salamanders) are the main prey, followed by earthworms, mice, small fish, nestling birds, small snakes, leeches, slugs, snails, sowbugs, crayfish, millipedes, insects, and spiders. The saliva of the common gartersnake appears to be toxic to amphibians and other small animals and a bite may produce swelling or a rash in some people. Feeding usually occurs during daylight hours, but gartersnakes will also hunt for food in the mornings or evenings (crepuscular) and at night in hotter months and during the amphibian breeding period. This snake eats its prey alive and whole.

Life History: Common gartersnakes mate upon emerging from their winter dens in March or April. It is common to observe a group of gartersnakes wrapped into a "breeding ball," which usually consists of males with a small number of females. Males are polygamous, meaning they will mate with more than one female. Gartersnakes are also viviparous – they do not lay eggs. Instead, the young develop within the female in a thin sac-like membrane that contains a yolk. Gestation lasts between 90 and 100 days, with young emerging from the female anytime between July and October. The size and number of young depend on the age, size, and condition of the female. A typical litter ranges from 10 to 40 individuals. The young receive no parental care and disperse immediately upon birth.

An advantage of being viviparous is that there is no predation of eggs. Another advantage is that the young develop faster because they are warmer inside the female's body. Pregnant female snakes, through behavior (i.e., moving to warmer locations, basking in the sun, etc.), can raise their body temperature. This adaptation probably contributes to the gartersnake's existence in colder, northern areas.

Common gartersnakes do not reproduce until two years of age, and they can live up to 10 years.

Interesting Facts: The gartersnake derives its name from the resemblance of their stripes to old-fashioned sock garters.

This snake is extremely cold resistant. It is active earlier in spring and later in fall than other snakes. Activity is closely associated with weather conditions. Snakes are cold blooded and derive heat from outside the body; environmental conditions must be warm enough – between 68 and 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit – for the snake to adjust its body temperature to a preferred range and to become active. As winter approaches and temperatures drop to the minimum common gartersnakes can tolerate, they will begin to group together to brumate for the season. Unlike hibernation when animals are asleep, brumating animals are awake but inactive. The grouping of snakes during winter is referred to as an aggregation. Winter den sites include muskrat and crayfish burrows, mud banks, rock walls, the area under stumps and logs, and burrows in soft earth.

Gartersnakes, particularly young ones, are prey for many animals. The list of predators includes owls, hawks, herons, bitterns, rails, turkeys, crows, jays, robins, dogs, cats, mink, otter, skunks, raccoons, opossums, foxes, shrews, bull frogs, and large predacious fish. Other snake species also prey on gartersnakes, such as milksnakes, black racers, copperheads, and larger gartersnakes. However, gartersnakes are not defenseless. Their body markings help conceal movement, preventing detection. If threatened, they quickly seek cover, concealing themselves in vegetation or hiding under rocks. If captured, they emit a foul musk odor, thrash violently to escape, or will even bite.

Gartersnakes are harmless to people and are NOT venomous. They do not constitute a nuisance or impact humans or human activity. However, they are often encountered in yards and around outbuildings. Like most other snake species, the gartersnake is shy and non-aggressive. If you unexpectedly encounter one when gardening or doing other yard work, the snake is likely as startled as you are. If you encounter a snake in your yard or while enjoying the outdoors, observe and enjoy it from a distance, and allow it to go on its way. Gartersnakes, or any other wild snake, should NEVER be collected as a pet, and the killing of any snake is strongly discouraged. All snakes will retreat from humans if given a chance. Killing a gartersnake should be avoided because 1) there is no reason to kill a gartersnake, and 2) it is difficult to distinguish gartersnakes from ribbonsnakes (even for experts). Misidentification may result in the unnecessary death of a ribbonsnake, which is a species of special concern in Connecticut.

Occasionally gartersnakes will enter homes and outbuildings in search of food. If a gartersnake is found in the home, it can easily and safely be removed. A pair of garden gloves is sufficient protection from gartersnake bites. The snakes have long teeth for their size; a bite on an unprotected hand is not dangerous but can be painful. The snake should be picked up carefully to avoid excessive squeezing. Snakes have delicate bodies and are easily injured. Place the snake in a cloth bag and release it in an area not far from the point of capture so the snake will be in familiar territory. To discourage snakes from entering buildings, make sure all cracks in the foundation are sealed. Basement windows should close tight or be covered with screens. Gartersnakes do not require large openings to gain entrance.

If you wish to discourage snakes from your yard, remove the places where they can hide. Keep grass cut short, remove brush and rock piles, and keep shrubs trimmed up off the ground. These methods will discourage snake prey species from the yard as well. If you encounter a snake problem, assistance and more information about snakes can be found by visiting the Snakes in Connecticut webpage or calling the DEEP Wildlife Division at 860-424-3011.

Content last updated on March 9, 2018.

Printable Version

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Background and Range: The common gartersnake is perhaps the most common, widely distributed, and familiar of all North American snakes. There are many species, subspecies, and races of gartersnakes comprising the genus Thamnophis. In Connecticut, the gartersnake is found throughout the state, from sea level to the highest elevations, and from urban areas to "wilderness."

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bobcat adaptation in winter - Google Search

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Like Bears, Mosquitoes Fatten Up For Winter : NPR
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npr.org

It is possible to encounter insects on the snow in winter ...
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scienceinpoland.pap.pl

Aedes aegypti - Factsheet for experts
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ecdc.europa.eu

Aedes albopictus - Factsheet for experts
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ecdc.europa.eu

Dengue-causing mosquito larvae fast adapting to winter: Scientists ...
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timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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misquito adaptations for winter - Google Search

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Like Bears, Mosquitoes Fatten Up For Winter : NPR800 × 449 - 59k - jpgnpr.org It is possible to encounter insects on the snow in winter ...750 × 420 - 19k - jpgscienceinpoland.pap.pl Aedes aegypti - Factsheet for experts1160 × 702 - 90k - jpgecdc.europa.eu Aedes albopictus - Factsheet for experts1160 × 702 - 106k - jpgecdc.europa.eu Dengue-causing mosquito larvae fast adapting to winter: Scientists ...400 × 300 - 18k - jpgtimesofindia.indiatimes.com

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cyote adaptaions in the winter - Google Search

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Black Bear

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winter adaptations for black bear - Google Search