Brumation and torpor: How animals survive cold snaps by playing dead-ish
Social media was recently taken aback watching as alligators in freezing weather appeared to go into a deep sleep to stay alive. They're not alone. Iguanas and hummingbirds do it too.
While people in the Northeast are the ones bearing the brunt of another snowstorm, the rest of the country is still experiencing winter weather. Parts of the Pacific Northwest and Northwest are receiving their own dose of rain and snow this week. And Floridians are experiencing low temperatures in the 30s in some areas, after getting an icy blast in January.
Humans can make do with scarves, coats and gloves in cold weather. But animals need to use their innate abilities to cope.
While rodents and some other animals hibernate for the winter, reptiles and birds do something similar but
