Hibernate

I bet some of you yawned at least once getting to this caption. :)))  We all yawn. We all sleep. But only some of us hibernate. Read on.  

Ahhhh. March 1st. The turning point for me. No matter what the temperature or weather is, mentally I begin my reemergence from winter’s dormancy – my release from hibernation so to speak.  The signs are all here – the birds returning, the small flowers starting to pop, and the sun shining longer and longer each day. Although I don’t put away the snowbrush just yet since I am in Cleveland!, I push aside my sweaters and reach for my spring GQ wear (yep, more KHT originals of course), put the driver’s window down and enjoy the beginnings of spring. I find the morning air is fresh with that certain smell which we all know, and the thought of playing golf again fills my head. For me, it’s sort of a transition from my cooped-up winter state to just feeling better – especially when the sun out! Jackie even lets me sing a bit – but mostly in the car when I’m alone and far away! Curious, I went online to learn more about hibernation and what animals go through to survive and emerge.  Here’s some fun stuff I learned.  Thanks to interestingfacts.com, Wikipedia and openai for the info and YouTube for the videos.  Enjoy!

Hibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy characterized by low body-temperature, slow breathing and heart-rate, and low metabolic rate, most commonly occurring during winter months.  This was certainly a mouth full!

Although traditionally reserved for “deep” hibernators such as rodents, the term has been redefined to include animals such as bears and is now applied based on active metabolic suppression rather than any absolute decline in body temperature..

Hibernation functions to conserve energy when sufficient food is not available, and can last for days, weeks, or months.

Larger species become hyperphagic, eating a large amount of food and storing the energy in their bodies in the form of fat deposits. (if you saw me with knife and fork in hand over the holidays, you’d think I was planning on sleeping and never waking up!) In many small species, food caching replaces eating and becoming fat. (‘another piece of pie you ask? – of course, I’m just food caching”).

Some species of mammals hibernate while gestating young, which are born either while the mother hibernates or shortly afterwards. For example, female black bears go into hibernation during the winter months in order to give birth to their offspring.

Here are some additional fun facts and trivia about hibernation:

1. Not True Hibernators: While some animals, like groundhogs and bears, are commonly associated with hibernation, not all animals that seem to “sleep” during winter are true hibernators. True hibernators experience a significant drop in body temperature, heart rate, and metabolism.
2. Hibernation Prolongs Life: Hibernation helps some animals conserve energy and survive through periods of scarcity. It can also extend their lifespan. Bats, for instance, can live longer when they hibernate.
3. Breathing and Heart Rate: Hibernating animals have significantly reduced rates of breathing and heartbeats. Some can even go for minutes or hours without taking a breath.
4. Fat Reserves: Animals that hibernate build up fat reserves during the warmer months to sustain them through the winter. These reserves serve as their primary source of energy while hibernating.
5. Hibernation is a Light Sleep: Hibernation is not a deep, uninterrupted sleep. Animals can wake up periodically during hibernation to adjust their position, urinate, or even eat a small amount of stored food.
6. Wood Frogs and Antifreeze: Wood frogs are known for their ability to survive freezing temperatures during hibernation. They enter a state of suspended animation, and their bodies produce a natural antifreeze that prevents ice crystals from forming inside their cells.
7. There Have Been a Few Cases of Human “Hibernation”: You may have noticed one mammal that doesn’t hibernate — us. But there are a handful of cases in which humans have endured a lethally low body temperature and lived, with no lasting effects. The most famous is the ordeal of Mitsutaka Uchikoshi, a 35-year-old Japanese civil servant, who slipped on a mountain trail and broke his hip in October 2006. He was rescued after 24 days suffering from extreme hypothermia “similar to hibernation,” his doctors said. After nearly two months in the hospital, he emerged with no residual injury.
8. Getting To Mars: Research into animal hibernation has the potential to help humans. Understanding why hibernators can withstand extremely low body temperatures and slowed metabolism without injury might give us clues for recovering from heart attacks, preserving human organs for transplant, or conducting complex surgeries. Scientists are even experimenting with “induced hibernation” as a way to conserve astronauts’ energy on long journeys through space, and to reduce the amount of resources needed on future missions to Mars. (Just like in the movies!)

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DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))
Have fun!!

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