Ever wondered how animals in the Arctic manage to adapt to the extreme and cold weather conditions?
Well, just like any other continent, Antarctica has both a summer and a winter. Unlike other places, however, the winter lasts longer compared to others.
If you place any specie in a primitive or “extreme” environment, it is prone to do one of two things, either die or adapt. Sometimes the species eventually dies, while its offspring survives with a greater chance to adapt.
Even though it’s cold in the Arctic all year round, summer does come around for a few months per year, which leaves the animals at ease and relieved.
How do Arctic animals survive the below 0-degree temperatures?
The Arctic consists of nothing but ice, water and snow. With this in mind, there is nowhere for the animals to go, except in the ocean, if not roaming on the ice. Sea lions find themselves spending more time in the water during winter, as it is slightly warmer than the surface.
Arctic animals have all learned how to fight off the cold.
Lemmings, for instance, known to be a small rodent, hide underneath the snow. Even though they are covered in fur, they can still feel the icy winds of the brutal winter, which is why they bury themselves under the snow.
Most land-based animals in the Arctic have a substantial layer of fur to keep them warm. Arctic squirrels also live in dens for months at a time. Many Arctic species rely on their ability to hibernate to survive the winter. During their hibernation, their heart will slow down, leaving their body warmer as the animals’ organs don’t require as much oxygen during the winter.
When it comes to the polar bear, an animal that is said to reach the point of extinction within the next few decades, this white bear can fight off hypothermia and is covered in fat, which means lucky for him, he can adapt to the ice in the Arctic without flinching;
Kind of like a superhero.
Get bottled water coolers and mains water coolers from Living-Water in London.
