Animals in Winter | What do animals do in Winter | How Animals Prepare for Winter | Winter & Animals

Neel Nation

21 Nov 202107:39

Summary

TLDRThe script explains how different animals survive the winter. Some animals hibernate by sleeping through the cold months. Others migrate to warmer areas with more food. Still others adapt by growing thicker fur and changing color, like the snowshoe hare whose fur turns white. The script gives examples of hibernating animals like bears and hedgehogs, migrating animals like monarch butterflies and geese, and adapting animals like the arctic fox and polar bear. It aims to teach children about the strategies animals use to endure the challenging winter season.

Takeaways

😀 Animals have 3 main strategies to survive winter: hibernate, migrate to warmer areas, or adapt physically
🥶 Hibernation is like a deep sleep where animals curl up in a safe place all winter
🚗 Migration means travelling to places with warmer weather and more available food
🧥 Adaptation means animals change their bodies and behaviors to handle the cold
🐻 Bears, hedgehogs, and groundhogs are some animals that hibernate in winter
🦢 Geese and monarch butterflies migrate long distances to avoid the cold
❄️ Snowshoe hares and arctic foxes change fur color to camouflage in snowy environments
🥜 Squirrels and chipmunks gather nuts and seeds in fall to eat during winter
🐧 Penguins and polar bears are adapted to find food even when not much is available
🌡 Animals carefully prepare for winter long before it arrives by storing food and growing thick fur

Q & A

What are the three main choices animals have to survive the winter?
-The three main choices animals have to survive winter are: 1) Hibernate 2) Migrate 3) Adapt - meaning they remain active by changing their bodies and behaviors.
How do animals like squirrels and chipmunks prepare for winter?
-Squirrels and chipmunks gather nuts in the fall and bury them in the ground to dig up later as a winter snack.
Why do some animals like ladybugs eat more in the fall?
-Ladybugs eat more and fatten up on other small insects in the fall to prepare for the limited food sources in winter.
What causes animals that hibernate to wake up in spring?
-Hibernating animals wake up when the weather warms up, usually in spring.
Why do birds migrate south for the winter?
-Birds migrate south where they can find food and warmer temperatures to survive the winter months.
How does arctic fox adapt to survive the cold winters?
-The arctic fox's fur changes from brown in summer to white in winter to camouflage with the snow. It also has fur on its food pads to keep warm.
Why do monarch butterflies migrate?
-Monarch butterflies migrate to find warmer temperatures and food sources during the winter months.
How does hibernation help bears survive winter?
-Hibernating allows bears to sleep through the entire winter without having to find food, lowering their energy needs.
Why do animals like elk travel in herds to migrate?
-Animals like elk travel in herds or families which helps protect the young and find food while migrating.
How does changing to white fur help animals survive winter?
-Changing to white fur helps animals blend into the snowy landscapes, hiding them from predators.

Outlines

00:00

😊 Animals preparing for winter season

The paragraph discusses how animals prepare and adapt for the winter season. It talks about how animals like squirrels, chipmunks, bears stock up on food in fall. Other preparations include fattening up like ladybugs, storing honey like bees. It also briefly introduces the concepts of hibernation, migration and adaptation as the three main ways animals survive winter.

05:03

😎 Animals that hibernate, migrate or adapt in winter

The paragraph elaborates on the three main mechanisms - hibernation, migration and adaptation, that animals use to survive the winter. It provides examples of specific animals that use each mechanism. Bears, hedgehogs, snakes etc hibernate. Elk, whales, butterflies migrate. Snowshoe hares, arctic foxes adapt by changing fur color. It also asks the viewer to name more animals belonging to each category.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡hibernate

Hibernation refers to certain animals going into a deep sleep state during winter months to conserve energy when food is scarce. The video explains that hibernation is 'like a deep, deep sleep' where animals like bears, hedgehogs, and groundhogs curl up in a safe place and remain asleep through the entire winter. Their heartbeat and breathing slows down and they only wake up when it starts getting warmer in spring.

💡migrate

Migration refers to animals that travel significant distances to find places with better weather and more available food during winter months. The video cites species like caribou, geese, whales, and butterflies that undertake seasonal migrations, traveling in groups or patterns to warmer locations where they can survive through winter before eventually returning in spring.

💡adapt

To adapt means for certain animal species to make changes to their bodies and behaviors that allow them to remain active during the winter months. The video explains how animals 'adapt to the cold weather' by growing thicker fur or feathers, changing color to blend into snowy environments, or evolving physical traits like fur on their paws to hunt for scarce food.

💡Prepare for winter

As winter approaches, the video emphasizes how animals instinctively know to gather food, gain weight, store up energy reserves, and otherwise prepare their bodies, essentially 'planning for winter even when it's still warm outside'. Squirrels bury nuts, bears eat more to fatten up, etc.

💡Survive winter

The overarching message is how animals employ strategies like hibernation, migration, and adaptation in order to survive through harsh winter conditions including cold temperatures and scarce food.

💡Spring

The video establishes spring as the endpoint of winter - when hibernating animals wake up, migratory animals return, and adapted animals shed their white winter coats. It represents warmer temperatures and renewed food sources.

💡Food

The scarcity of naturally available food during winter months is cited throughout the video as a primary challenge animals must adapt to through hibernation, migration, or physical adaptations.

💡Weather

The changing weather, especially declining temperatures, is emphasized as the trigger for animals to start preparing for winter - storing food, gaining weight, growing fur, etc. When warmer weather returns in spring, animals revert back to normal.

💡Safety

For animals that hibernate, the video stresses them finding 'safe places' to remain undisturbed all winter while in vulnerable hibernating state. Those who adapt are also safer blending into snowy environments.

💡Babies

The video specifically describes how some migratory animals like whales travel to warmer waters to give birth and raise babies through winter months where food is more abundant.

Highlights

Animals have three choices to survive winter: hibernate, migrate, or adapt.

Hibernation is like a deep sleep where animals curl up in a safe place all winter.

Migrating animals travel to warmer places with more food and return in spring.

Squirrels, chipmunks and bears gather and store food in fall to eat in winter.

Ladybugs and honeybees fatten up and store food to prepare for winter.

Bears, hedgehogs, groundhogs, chipmunks and some snakes hibernate.

Birds, monarch butterflies and whales are famous migrators.

To adapt, animals grow thicker, whiter fur and feathers to blend into snow.

Snowshoe hares and arctic foxes change fur color from brown to white.

Adapted animals can still find food even though it's scarce in winter.

Fur on arctic fox paws helps them adapt to cold and snow.

Animals adapt body and behavior to survive the harsh winter.

Hibernation, migration and adaptation help animals get through winter.

Understanding winter animal survival strategies teaches us about nature.

Animals detecting seasonal change triggers preparation for winter.