16 December 2024
Animal winter adaptation facts
The festive season is upon us, and there’s nothing quite like exploring Whipsnade Zoo’s winter wonderland on a frosty December day out with the family. We’ve got seasonal cheer and Christmas activities for adults and children of all ages!
But while we don our woolly hats and grab a hot drink to keep cosy, our animals have slightly different ways of coping with cold conditions. Here are Whipsnade Zoo’s 12 animals of winter – see how many you can spot on your Christmas visit:
Red panda
Endangered in the wild, red pandas have thick fur to protect them from their rainy, mountainous habitat in the Himalayas. Ever wondered why they have such a long and fluffy tail? It acts as a blanket when they’re curled up in trees.
Amur tiger
Another sadly endangered animal is the Amur tiger – the world’s largest tiger. These big cats live in chilly climates where temperatures can dive to as low as -20 degrees! They have lots of really clever adaptations to the cold, including thick fur, a paler coat for blending into snowy surroundings, and big paws for padding across the snow.
Eurasian lynx
Also known for their large furry paws, Eurasian lynx are well-equipped for stalking through snow. These secretive felines are expert hunters – they can also climb rock faces and jump up to two metres to catch their prey!
Wolverine
Wolverines are also impressive predators, and perfectly adapted to cold conditions. Found in remote snowy regions, they can smell prey up to six metres under snow – that’s more than the height of a double-decker bus! And they have a special upper molar that helps them rip meat from frozen prey.
Reindeer
Speaking of prey… reindeer have some really clever ways of coping with the cold. In the summer, they spend up to 20 hours a day eating, and pretty much double their body weight. They can then live almost entirely off those fat stores during the winter, eating only the odd bit of lichen or moss – and carrots on Christmas Eve of course.
Alpaca
Another ungulate that is well-adapted to lower temperatures is the alpaca. Alpacas have a really thick fleece that traps heat and insulates them from the cold. You’ll notice that, in Hullabazoo Farm, we sheer our alpacas ahead of the warmer weather each year so they don’t get too hot over the summer months.
European bison
And bison, Europe’s biggest land animals, are also known for their thick winter coats helping them to cope with harsh conditions. But, even more impressively, they can use their large heads and strong neck and shoulder muscles to push through snow to get to their food.
Yak
Not to be confused with bison, yaks are found in the chilly Tibetan mountains. These super cows have giant lungs, three times bigger than other domestic cattle! This helps them breathe in the low oxygen levels of their mountaintop homes.
Great grey owl
It isn’t only mammals that know how to keep warm. Great grey owls, for instance, are found in forest and mountain ranges throughout Russia, Canada and the USA. They have a thick layer of feathers for insulation, incredible eyesight to spot their dinner from long distances, and very sensitive hearing to detect prey from underneath the snow.
European brown bears
But what’s the most impressive winter adaptation of them all? Sleeping through it! Our bears have got the right idea, they escape those bitterly cold days by going into torpor which is similar to hibernating. Did you know, when bears go into torpor they don’t eat, wee or poo! Their bodies naturally slow down to conserve energy when food is less readily available.
So sadly you won’t see the bears when you visit this festive season, but be sure to come back in the spring.
Bactrian camel
And while European brown bears seem to get the best deal, Bactrian camels have drawn the short straw and need to be able to tolerate both really cold and really hot conditions. They can withstand temperatures ranging from 40°C to -30°C! There are lots of features helping them to cope with desert conditions, from their shaggy coat to their eyelashes. And they’re the only mammal to have oval shaped red blood cells instead of circular, which helps to stop them from dehydrating.
Penguin?
Guaranteed to feature in a snowy scene, penguins are often thought of as the ultimate festive animal. But not all penguins are from cold climates - actually, you’ll find African penguins at Whipsnade Zoo. And they have the best view at the Zoo over the beautiful Downs, which really is a picture postcard – or Christmas card - on a winter’s day.
