![]() Despite what the calendar shows, if temperatures reach the 40s during a sunny day, you may seem some of these critters soaking up some rays and finding a snack to eat. Eastern box turtles will burrow under fallen logs, into compost piles, or loose, soft soil. This could be a cave, rock ledge, or similar spot where multiple species gather, sometimes with over a hundred individuals!Īquatic turtles will often spend the time in a lethargic state at the bottom of a pond or lake, occasionally slowly crawling or drifting. Some animals such as snakes and lizards who live in the higher elevations of the mountains enter a hibernaculum. “ Garter snake hibernaculum at Pixley dam near Cokeville Meadows NWR” by USFWS Mountain Prairie is licensed under CC BY 2.0 These ectothermic animals are dependent on the environment to maintain their body temperatures. Instead of hibernating like warm-blooded animals, Georgia’s cold-blooded reptiles and amphibians brumate, sometimes written as bromate. Black Rat Snake at the Chattahoochee Nature Center Torpor is very similar but is a lighter sleeping state bears quickly awake if there is potential danger nearby. With true hibernation the animal is so deeply asleep that it rarely wakes up until temperatures warm and days lengthen. ![]() Though we often think of hibernating bears, they instead enter a torpor. Hibernation is a catch-all term derived from the Latin hibernare, which means “winter quarters.” There are, however, very few species that hibernate in Georgia, with the most common being bats, chipmunks, and groundhogs. You are probably familiar with hibernation, but what about brumation, torpor, or even diapause? But it’s not just the humans who prepare for the upcoming months many animals change their behaviors, too. When we think of winter in Georgia, shorter days, sleet, light snow, cold rain, and a drop in temperature all usually come to mind.
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