First comes Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and before you know it there is two feet of snow on the ground. How do you prepare for winter? Do you put warm comforters on your bed, crank up the thermostat, or put on cozy sweaters? Our animals at the museum make their own preparations for the winter months.
Our snowshoe hares are some of our coolest winter creatures. As the weather turns cold, these hares gradually turn from a summer brown to a winter white! Their ears, feet, and entire bodies turn a snowball white, providing them with camouflage against winter’s snowy backdrop. More than just a defensive aid, the white fur provides better insulation. It lacks the pigment melanin and is slightly hollow, which allows for more air space within each hair and thus more insulation.
Snowshoe hares have another winter adaptation besides changing color. Their feet are so large relative to their body size that they actually spread out the force of their weight, letting them hop on top of the snow without falling through. It’s like they have their own built-in snowshoes!
Our other mammals change too. The foxes, bobcats, and raccoons grow thick, bushy coats to help them fight off the harsh winter cold and just about every animal puts on a few extra pounds as an extra layer of warmth. Many animals that live in cold climates develop a type of fat known as “brown” fat. The sole purpose of brown fat when used by the body is to produce heat.
If the animals still aren’t warm enough with all of these winter adaptations they can always cuddle. Our raccoons, bobcats, and otters can often be seen snuggling, sharing body heat. Come to the museum in the winter and maybe you’ll see three gray and black fuzzy lumps sharing a log or even two catlike faces with black-tufted ears staring back from inside their den.
Dylan Beach, CMNH Wildlife Specialist
