![]() When they enter hibernation they will be at their maximum weight for the year. During the months before hibernation, these animals carry out activities such as storing fat reserves, reproduction and social interaction. This will allow the animal to store nutrients in their body which will be slowly metabolized during hibernation. During the months leading up to winter, they will gorge on food as much as possible. Preparation phase: the groundhog must prepare for their extended torpor.The two main stages of the hibernation cycle are: For this reason, they have developed this strategy of sleeping for long periods with the metabolism functioning at a minimum in order to survive. Given these environmental conditions, the vegetation decreases considerably and the groundhogs run out of available food. They are subjected to low temperatures, which mainly influence the availability of food. Various species of groundhog live in regions with extreme winters. ![]() It is an involved process which needs preparation for it to be successful. The groundhog's hibernation process is different to their normal sleep cycle. Being underground also helps to protect them from the cold. They are an animal which enters true hibernation, meaning they spend the whole winter hibernating. The complex burrow system of the groundhog is beneficial for hibernation. In most of the habitats where groundhogs live, the cold will extend from October until spring, but some may only hibernate for as little as three months. The total hibernation time of groundhogs depends on the region where they live. However, it has been shown they have intervals during which they wake up from this state for around 40 hours, before entering torpor again. During hibernation, groundhogs go into a state of torpor for long periods, sleeping for more than a week at a time. Generally, the groundhogs that are inactive in the winter are those which live in areas with significant temperature drops.Īlthough hibernation does mean they are inactive for the duration of the winter, groundhogs are not necessarily asleep for the entire time. ![]() In fact, the close cousin of the groundhog known as the gray marmot ( Marmota baibacina) can hibernate for up to 7 or 8 months. This superstition is predicated on the fact that groundhogs do hibernate. This event is based on the superstition that if a groundhog emerges from their burrow on a certain day and sees their shadow, they will retreat to their burrow for six more weeks of winter. You may know of groundhogs from the film and festival after which is is named, Groundhog Day. Learn more about animal activity with our article on which animals are nocturnal. They are mainly herbivorous animals, but they also eat small insects and other small animals on rare occasions. Specifically, they tend to go out scavenging for food during the early morning and the late afternoon. This means they are most active during the daylight hours. Although some people think of them as nocturnal, groundhogs are diurnal. While groundhogs have good eyesight, they do not tend to leave the burrow at night. When the temperature drops at night, the groundhogs can go deeper into the burrow to conserve heat as lower areas will be warmer than those closer to ground level. Burrows provide protection against predators, as well as suitable conditions to protect against harsh climates. ![]() How long they sleep during a day will depend on various factors, but the time of year is particularly important.Ī typical aspect of the animal is the construction of complex burrow system. The groundhog is an animal culturally associated with sleeping, but many of us do not know much about their actual sleeping habits. ![]()
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