Snow covered, frozen land, below freezing temperatures, and no food. How do animals and even some plants survive in such a cold environment? Animals that stay in such frigid temperatures have a set of skills that help them to adapt to such conditions. Every animal has its own way to adapt and is specific to them. Each animal needs to recognize the changing weather in order to prepare for what weather conditions might be coming next. Some of the changes they use to survive are adaptation, migration, hibernation and reproduction. Humans would not go unprepared into the cold neither do animals. We put on an extra layer or dress warmly to protect ourselves from the cold. We even have the ability to seek shelter from harshness of Mother Nature. .
A change they can make to survive is to make physical or behavioral adaptations that can help them to get through the changing weather. In order to stay warm, all the animals make some sort of physical change or changes to survive. All the animals in the cold grow new, thicker fur in the fall in order to stay warm and protected in the winter months. (Sciencemadesimple.com, par. 9). When they are growing their new fur, it often grows to a white or gray color so they can be camouflaged for protection and survival from other animals. Often these animals are small so not only do they blend in, their little bodies are built for speed and with longer hair and short extremities to reduce the amount of skin showing to avoid being frozen in the extreme temperatures. A perfect example of an animal that has these unique adaptations is the Arctic Fox. The Arctic Fox has short ears, a short, round body with a thick coat to minimize the amount of skin exposed to the frigid air. (Tundraanimals.net, par.2). .
Another way the animals adapt for survival is by knowing what and when to eat to fatten up for the colder weather. Hibernation is a low energy resting time for animals that lasts several months.