As the days shorten and we move toward the harsh, lean season of winter, wild creatures adapt in a variety of ways. True hibernators, including most ground squirrels, marmots, ground hogs, some bears and many bats, eat voraciously, putting on brown fat to sustain them through the colder months. Most mammals that remain active through the winter develop thicker coats, a protection from the frigid air and brutal wind. Of course, migratory birds and mammals head for less demanding terrain, moving to lower elevations or off to the sunny south. We humans, equipped with large brains, insulate our homes, check our furnaces, unpack our winter clothes and plan to spend much of the season in our heated shelters and automobiles.
Many species, including some humans, stock up for the lean months, gathering food and stashing it for later consumption. Tree squirrels, chipmunks, pikas, mice, beaver, muskrats and packrats are the mammals best known for this hoarding activity; while they may sleep during periods of severe weather, they are not true hibernators and awaken to feed on and replenish their larder during mild interludes. Among our avian neighbors, jays, nuthatches, nutcrackers and some woodpeckers are the primary hoarders, stockpiling seeds, nuts and fruit when natural supplies are plentiful, returning to feast on them in the depths of winter.
While humans anticipate the coming hardships of winter, wild hoarders act instinctively; the waning daylight triggers neurochemical and hormonal signals that induce their preparations. This annual diligence will help to ensure their survival but, unlike humans, they have no capacity to dread or worry about the physical demands that lie ahead. In that respect, they are less prone to stress than are humans, despite our supermarkets and cozy homes.
