![]() ![]() If you’re lucky, you can see frogs in the winter, under clear ice lying just on top of the mud, partially buried or even slowly swimming around from time to time. Frogs need to be exposed to oxygen-rich, clean water when hibernating, unlike turtles, whose metabolism slows down to such low levels that they barely need any oxygen all winter. In fact, hibernating frogs would suffocate if they dug into the mud for an extended period of time. It’s a common misconception that frogs will hibernate deep in the mud like turtles to insulate their bodies from the cold. Frogs will choose a hibernaculum that has a sufficient amount of oxygen trapped in the water, which will be slowly absorbed by the frog’s skin throughout the winter. When a frog’s metabolism is slowed down they don’t need as much oxygen. All amphibians including frogs have porous or absorbent skin that intakes oxygen and water. Frogs in Ontario such as, the leopard frog and bullfrog, typically hibernate underwater. When spring weather arrives, the animal’s metabolism revs up to get on with the business of feeding and breeding. Ectotherms in cold climates have evolved to slow down everything, even their need to breathe, when it gets cold. To metabolize food, ectotherms rely on their surrounding environment to heat up their body, such as warmth from the sun or warmth from the water. Heat drives life’s physiological functions such as the breakdown of food into energy. Ectotherms are animals that have little to no ability to produce internal body heat. It’s here that a frog’s metabolism will slow down as their body prepares for the winter. For both reptiles and amphibians, a safe site that protects them from winter weather and predators is called a hibernaculum. ![]() Both the shorter days and colder temperatures are cues to our animals to initiate the start of a long winter sleep. Hibernating Wood Frog Photo by: Travis Wiens Hibernation is just another fact of life for Ontario’s reptiles and amphibians.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |