How does hibernation help animals survive? (1 point)
Responses
Hibernation makes access to food easier.
Hibernation makes access to food easier.
Hibernation protects the animal young from predators.
Hibernation protects the animal young from predators.
Hibernation reduces the energy required for survival.
Hibernation reduces the energy required for survival.
Hibernation increases the chances of meeting a mate.
Hibernation reduces the energy required for survival.
Hibernation helps animals survive by reducing the energy required for survival. During hibernation, the animal's metabolic rate slows down significantly, allowing them to conserve energy. This is especially beneficial during times when food is scarce, such as winter. By entering a state of hibernation, animals can survive for extended periods without needing to eat.
The correct answer is: Hibernation reduces the energy required for survival.
Explanation:
Hibernation is a state of dormancy that some animals enter during winter or periods of food scarcity. It helps animals conserve energy and survive in harsh conditions. Here's how hibernation reduces the energy required for survival:
1. Lower metabolic rate: During hibernation, an animal's metabolic rate significantly decreases. This means that the animal's body functions slow down, including heart rate, breathing, and digestion. By lowering the metabolic rate, the animal reduces the amount of energy needed to sustain itself.
2. Conservation of fat stores: Before going into hibernation, animals bulk up on food to build up fat reserves. These fat stores provide the necessary fuel during hibernation. The reduced metabolic rate allows the animal to utilize its fat reserves slowly over an extended period, prolonging its survival without needing to eat.
3. Decreased need for activity: Hibernating animals spend most of their time in a state of deep sleep, where they are largely inactive. This reduced activity further decreases their energy expenditure, as they do not need to engage in activities like hunting, foraging, or defending territories.
4. Adaptations to low temperatures: Hibernating animals have specific physiological and behavioral adaptations that allow them to endure cold temperatures. These adaptations help them conserve energy by minimizing heat loss, such as lowering their body temperature, reducing blood flow to peripheral areas, or seeking sheltered hibernation sites.
In summary, hibernation reduces the energy required for survival by lowering the metabolic rate, conserving fat stores, decreasing the need for activity, and relying on adaptations to cold temperatures.