Migration, hibernation, and food storage are all responses to seasonal changes. As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, hormonal changes trigger animals to instinctively prepare for winter.
As the snow begins to fall, some animals swap their summer brown fur for white winter fur. From weasels to reindeer, here are six animals that change their appearance with the seasons.
weasel
Weasels are active woodland predators that squeeze into the underground burrows of voles and mice, forming Up to 80% of diet. Although weasels are found throughout the world, only those in the Northern Hemisphere change color.
Three species of weasels change color: Least Weasel (Ferrets), long-tailed weasel (spotted weasel) and the short-tailed weasel (mink). The short-tailed weasel (or stoat) has a reddish-brown summer coat with a white underbelly. When winter comes, the dark fur will shed and be replaced by white fur.This comes from animals abdomen, chest and throat, and gradually spread to the backleaving a black tip at the end of the tail.
These white weasels blend into the snowy background, creating the perfect camouflage for sneaking up on prey and hiding from predators such as weasels. Owl, hawk and fox.
Arctic fox
Arctic fox(fox fox) live in some of the harshest places on Earth, in the Arctic tundra, where temperatures Extremely low and short summers. In summer, the arctic fox’s fur is short, thin, and light gray, gradually turning into thick white fur all over the body, blending in with the snow on the tundra.Like weasels, they survive on their fur camouflage but also for insulation In the cold season.
related: The legendary “cat and fox” may be a new subspecies
Hare
of 40 known species of hares, Only six change colors In winter.including snowshoe hares (American Rabbit), Arctic hare (arctic hare) and Mountain Rabbit (dire rabbit).
The snowshoe hare is Named for its large, furry feet. supporting their weight on deep snow. They live in Canada and the northernmost reaches of the United States. In spring and summer, they wear dark gray and brown fur coats, which make them invisible against backgrounds of mud and rocks. As the days get shorter, their fur gradually turns white in preparation for winter.
thunderbird
Ptarmigans are small birds that live in boreal forest areas from the Arctic tundra to North America and Eurasia. three discolorations Winter: Rock Ptarmigan (Bunny muta), white-tailed ptarmigan (Bunny Leupaceae (genus Leupaceae) and willow ptarmigan (Bunny rabbit).
All three species have feathers on their feet to help them walk on snow. This dark brown plumage fades to white to camouflage the bird in the snow. However, Male rock ptarmigan They retain their white coats to attract females until the breeding season is over in mid-summer. To hide from predators, males may take periodic dust baths that cover their white feathers.
Russian dwarf hamster
A small hamster that lives in the meadows of Kazakhstan, northern China and Russia is known mainly as a household pet.
Russian dwarf hamster (Hairy-footed mouse (Phodopus sungorus) It is a round hamster that can be brown or gray in color with a lighter underbelly. Some have distinct dorsal stripes that extend from the head to just behind the tail.
they are called “Winter White“Hamsters because when temperatures drop and days shorten, their thin, dark fur is replaced by thick, white fur. captivitytheir fur coats rarely change, possibly because the artificial light used in enclosures cannot mimic shorter winters.
pear reindeer
Pear Reindeer (Pear tree orchid) is a species of reindeer found only in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.They have trodden deep waters among small islands Eat grass and moss, take advantage of their spaciousness, Shovel-like hooves forage in the snow.
They have two layers of hair: a thick basal layer and another layer of longer, finer hair called guard hairs. Their long outer coat of hair is hollow, trapping warm air inside for insulation and protecting the dense hair underneath from wear and tear. Pear reindeer are mostly covered in white fur, but their backs are slate gray, turning to light brown in summer. In winter, their fur may turn completely white.
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