Hibernation is more than just a lengthy nap.
It's an evolutionary adaptation possessed by some animals to help them live through unfavorable conditions in their environment.
But what animals hibernate, and why do they need to?
Hibernation refers to the period when an animal, mostly warm-blooded mammals, such as the jumping mouse or the woodchuck, enters a state of torpor, in which the animal's body temperature and metabolic activity are lowered as a response to adverse winter conditions.
While hibernation is specific to dormancy during winter, estivation refers to when animals experience torpor during dry, hot summers.
Hibernation is often triggered by changes in an animal's environment, including changes in temperature and food availability, and shorter days.
It is believed that the blood of hibernators contains a compound called Hibernation Induction Trigger, or HIT, that tells the animal it's time to hibernate.
Hibernation allows animals to live in regions where non-hibernating animals would not survive during the winter months.
Hibernating animals avoid the burden of competing with others when resources are scarce.
Not all hibernators follow the same rules.
