Hibernation Station
Are hibernation and torpor the same?
Hibernation and torpor are both forms of restful sleep that are used as a way for animals to survive cold winter days, when food is difficult to find and they need to save their energy.
Both torpor and hibernation involve sleeping for long periods of time. However, their main difference is in how this sleep is achieved and their effects on the animals’ bodies.
·
·
·
· · ·
What is torpor?
Not as many animals truly hibernate as you may think e.g. Bears.
→ Instead, they enter a sleeping state called torpor.
→ Bears body temperatures reduce slightly and they can sleep for more than 100 days.
During the active parts of their days, animals’ bodies behave the same way they usually do but during the torpid rest periods they enter into a deeper than usual sleep.
Torpor is not voluntary and lasts for shorter periods than hibernation.
Torpor involves decreased breathing and heart rates, as well as slower digestion.
What is hibernation?
Hibernation is a state of sleep that animals are able to enter voluntarily.
It is triggered by the shortening hours of daylight and chemical (hormonal) changes in the animals’ bodies. These changes let each animal that hibernates know that they need to start saving energy soon.
Before hibernating, animals will need to eat a lot and store lots of fat to survive the long winter months with little food.
During hibernation animals lower their breathing and heart rates; they also lower their metabolic rates. This means that they digest their food a lot slower than usual, so they become hungry less often and can use the energy from the food they have eaten for longer.
Depending on what type of animal is hibernating, it can last for a few days, weeks or even months of the year.
→ During periods of true hibernation (not torpor) animals will wake up infrequently as it takes a much longer period of time and uses up more of their energy reserves.
How do I know if it’s torpor or hibernation?
• This depends largely on the physical size of the animal.
Large animals:
→ Torpor (usually).
Bears
Racoons
Skunks
Small animals:
→ Hibernation (usually).
Rodents (mice especially)
Bees
Snakes
Check our nocturnal animals fact file to learn more about animals that are active during the night (some of which also hibernate).
Curious about pollinators after reading that bees hibernate? Check our pollinators protection campaign and pollinators fact file for more information.