Cold-weather Critters

When temperatures start to drop, we humans usually put on a sweater or jacket so we can keep warm. Many animals don't have to go to such trouble because they have special characteristics, called adaptations, that allow them to stay comfy and safe. So who are some of these wintertime wonders? 

 

The snow leopard lives in the mountains of central Asia, where, in some areas, there is snow around all the time! One feature that helps the snow leopard get around in this cold climate is its feet: the paws have fur, even on the bottom, and this gives the cool cat great traction on the snow.

 

Another animalAny living thing that is not a plant. Most animals can move about freely. All use plants or other animals as food. All have sensory organs. that lives in snowy conditions is the Arctic fox. This little carnivoreA meat-eating animal; one who eats the flesh of other animals. lives in the tundraIn arctic or subarctic regions, a flat or gently-sloping plain that features low-lying plants and bushes, but no trees. Underneath the topsoil, the ground is often frozen. regions of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Europe, and Russia. The Arctic fox has furry feet that act like little snowshoes, something it has in common with the snow leopard. The fox's lush tail can be curled around its body like a cozy scarf to help keep out the chill. And the fox's beautiful, thick coat helps keep the cold out and helps the animalAny living thing that is not a plant. Most animals can move about freely. All use plants or other animals as food. All have sensory organs. blend in to its habitatWhere an animal or plant normally lives and grows.. The Arctic fox goes through color phases. The "polar," or white phase, makes the fox hard to spot against the white snow. And the darker "blue" phase? This serves as the fox's camouflageThe color or pattern of an animal's covering that is similar to the animal's surroundings, and therefore helps hide it. May also be related to smell, as in lions rolling in elephant dung to camouflage their scent. against the rocks in its habitatWhere an animal or plant normally lives and grows..

 

Hair is a big help to reindeer, too. The reindeer is covered in hair, from top to bottom, which traps the heat. And the nose knows how to stay warm, too: the reindeer has a specialized nose that warms the incoming air before it enters its lungs!

 

For many people, the giant panda is a cold-weather-world favorite. The panda's black-and-white wooly coat is very oily, which helps waterproof the bear. Since pandas stay warm and dry, they are able to really enjoy playing in snow, something you can see on December 8, when the San Diego Zoo will blow mounds of the frosty stuff into our youngest panda's exhibit, giving him his own winter wonderland to romp in.