How do you plan to spend the winter? Will you hunker down with some hot cocoa by the woodstove, get outside for some active snowy adventures, or head south until the warmth of spring returns?
Just like people, wildlife uses several strategies to make it through the cold
winter months. Some migrate, some hibernate, and some have adaptations that help them endure the elements. Migration may seem like the easy way out, but it is an energetically expensive and perilous prospect. But for the species who risk it all, benefits like safer temperatures, better food availability, and resources for reproduction outweigh the costs. Did you know that monarch butterflies escape the cold by traveling 100 miles a day over unfamiliar territory to spend the winter in the mountains of Mexico? For many species that aren't fit for incredible feats of endurance, winter dormancy is the key to conserving energy and surviving winter. Hibernation is just one type of dormancy and true hibernation is not common. Despite their reputation for catching zzz's all winter, black bears do not make the list. Find out who does in our latest blog! |
 The final strategy left for those species who don't migrate or hide away for a winter slumber is to find ways to persevere despite the challenges of the cold winter months. There is no lack of wildlife throughout Maine in winter. If you look closely, there are signs everywhere of thriving, and resilient creatures who survive winter through a diverse and fascinating array of adaptations. Maine’s wildlife has what it takes to conquer mother nature’s toughest season. Read all about impressive migration routes, true hibernators, and active winter wildlife's adaptations in our blog.
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