![]() ![]() ![]() A hibernating turtle's metabolism slows down so drastically that it can get by on the mud's meager oxygen supply. In fact, hibernating frogs would suffocate if they dug into the mud for an extended period of time. A common misconception is that they spend the winter the way aquatic turtles do, dug into the mud at the bottom of a pond or stream. When spring weather arrives, the animal "wakes up" and leaves its hibernaculum to get on with the business of feeding and breeding.Īquatic frogs such as the leopard frog (Rana pipiens) and American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) typically hibernate underwater. After an animal finds or makes a living space (hibernaculum) that protects it from winter weather and predators, the animal's metabolism slows dramatically, so it can "sleep away" the winter by utilizing its body's energy stores. Hibernation is a common response to the cold winter of temperate climates. Various frog species use two strategies to deal with environmental extremes: hibernation and estivation. Some of their survival strategies are nothing short of ingenious. ![]() They can be found at the Arctic Circle, in deserts, in tropical rain forests and practically everywhere in between. Despite their fragile appearance and inoffensive ways, they have countless strategies to deal with the most severe climates this planet has to offer. He provides the following answer.įrogs are amazing animals. Rick Emmer is the lead keeper of The RainForest at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and an avid observer of amphibians. ![]()
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