![]() ![]() “Animals in winter have fewer food resources, so you’re actually putting a sleeping animal in danger for starving. “If you disturb a bear in its den in the winter, it won’t be happy,” Cook said. That’s the main difference between hibernators and animals like black bear that just fall into a period of dormancy.”Ĭook said that these nonhibernators can be roused relatively easily - not that you’d want to. ![]() “It’s very difficult to rouse a true hibernator. “If the animal has successfully added enough fat, it will live off that until spring,” Cook said. This shelter is called a hibernaculum, and once the animal is settled in, it slows its metabolism to essentially zero. An animal preparing for hibernation will typically seek out a protected shelter inside a tree, cave or underground where it can remain undisturbed for long periods of time and where the ambient temperature is slightly warmer than it is outdoors. Cook said that as days shorten and nights lengthen in late fall, a hibernating animal’s body gets signals to initiate a controlled drop in heart rate, breathing and digestion. Hibernation is regulated by photoperiod, or the amount of daylight. These animals are basically putting themselves into a coma.” “Hibernation is a pretty complex biological process. “Woodchucks, skunks, chipmunks, 13-lined ground squirrels and some types of bats are the only animals in Michigan that truly hibernate,” he said. While many Michigan species have slower wintertime metabolisms, there are few true hibernators in the state, Cook said. Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions about wildlife in winter is that all animals hibernate. “That work is done to benefit game species, but it also ends up benefiting many nongame species as well. “For example, the water level maintenance we do in state game areas can help frogs and turtles survive the winter, and that work is primarily funded through hunting and fishing license fees,” Schauer said. It also shares the positive impact that hunting and fishing have on Michigan’s wildlife and natural resources. The Michigan Wildlife Council was founded in 2013 to increase public knowledge of the importance of wildlife management and conservation. And they’re also ensuring that our natural resources will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.” ![]() “That means the men and women who are out there using Michigan’s natural resources the most are also the ones making sure that our wildlife will continue to thrive each winter. “Many people don’t realize that the majority of conservation work in Michigan is actually funded by hunting and fishing license dollars,” said Matt Pedigo, chair of the Michigan Wildlife Council. But those dollars don’t come from state taxes. “In some cases, that means simply building brush piles that can be used by small animals like squirrels and rabbits for shelter, and by deer and elk for food.”īecause that habitat restoration work is meticulously planned, including mapping out regions of the state that are most affected by human development and organizing teams of professionals and volunteers to execute the manual labor required, it costs money to carry it all out. “Our efforts in general are to make sure our wildlife have plenty of habitat so they can thrive,” said Hannah Schauer, DNR wildlife communications coordinator. That’s why the Michigan Department of Natural Resources spends time throughout the fall and winter to ensure that human interference remains minimal. Habitat fragmentation - caused by roadways and neighborhoods - can disrupt wildlife’s ability to find the necessary resources, such as food and shelter, to survive the winter months. Human development can impact the quantity and quality of habitat available to wildlife. Humans pose a specific challenge to all that well-adapted wildlife. There’s as much diversity in their adaptation styles as in the types of wildlife you can find here.” ![]() “Some of them hibernate, some migrate and many actually thrive in these cold months. “Michigan’s wildlife populations are incredibly suited to endure the long Michigan winters,” said Bill Cook, a forester/biologist for Michigan State University Extension. Our mammal, bird, reptile and insect populations must find ways to survive outside in all the bomb cyclones and polar vortexes headed our way over the next few months. The state’s wildlife doesn’t have it that easy. Reduced daylight, plunging temperatures, growing snowdrifts - it’s the beginning of go-outside-only-when-you-have-to season for some Michigan humans. Technically, winter doesn’t start for another few days … but try telling that to your brain. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |