Difference Between Torpor and Hibernation

Torpor involves physiological changes related especially to body temperature, metabolism, and water balance. Hibernation is when an organism spends the winter in a state of dormancy; it is long-term multiday torpor for survival of cold conditions. Estivation is summer dormancy, for survival of hot and dry periods.

1. What's the difference between true hibernation and torpor?
2. Do bears hibernate or torpor?
3. Does torpor lead to hibernation?
4. Which of the following is an example of torpor?
5. Do humans hibernate?
6. Does hibernation mean sleeping?
7. Do bears poop while hibernating?
8. What happens if you wake up a hibernating bear?
9. Can bears give birth during hibernation?
10. What triggers torpor?
11. Do polar bears hibernate?
12. What triggers hibernation in bears?

What's the difference between true hibernation and torpor?

In the winter, hibernation helps animals conserve food at a time when food options are limited. ... Torpor helps animals survive during periods of intense cold and it's a bit like an animal passing out in response to being too cold; the animal appears dead, but if warmed up, it would become active again.

Do bears hibernate or torpor?

Hibernating bears enter a shallow torpor with a decrease in body temperature of only 10 degrees. It's metabolism and hear rate slows down. But it doesn't need to eat, drink or pass waste. In order to survive, fat in the bear's body breaks down into water and calories for the body to use.

Does torpor lead to hibernation?

Torpor enables animals to survive periods of reduced food availability. ... Some animals seasonally go into long periods of inactivity, with reduced body temperature and metabolism, made up of multiple bouts of torpor. This is known as hibernation if it occurs during winter or aestivation if it occurs during the summer.

Which of the following is an example of torpor?

Mammals, birds, and some marsupials undergo torpor. More specific examples include the California pocket mouse, the kangaroo mouse, the white-footed mouse, many species of hummingbirds, big brown bats, Richardson's ground squirrel, and fat-tailed Dunnarts (a marsupial).

Do humans hibernate?

Humans cannot actually hibernate, but in the coldest months of the year, many of us are drawn to something similar.

Does hibernation mean sleeping?

Despite what you may have heard, species that hibernate don't “sleep” during the winter. Hibernation is an extended form of torpor, a state where metabolism is depressed to less than five percent of normal. ... This is very different from sleep, which is gentle resting state where unconscious functions are still performed.

Do bears poop while hibernating?

A) Bears hibernate during winter, but aren't sleeping the whole time. Hibernation for bears simply means they don't need to eat or drink, and rarely urinate or defecate (or not at all).

What happens if you wake up a hibernating bear?

A bear that senses a threat can wake quickly to defend itself. That's because bears' body temperatures only lowers by a few degrees when they hibernate. This helps them become alert much faster, compared to other animals. ... In fact, bears can wake up and move around their dens during this time.

Can bears give birth during hibernation?

Bears give birth in February, during hibernation, and the offspring nurse and grow until the momma bear wakes up.

What triggers torpor?

Like hibernation, torpor is a survival tactic used by animals to survive the winter months. It also involves a lower body temperature, breathing rate, heart rate, and metabolic rate. This state is triggered by ambient temperature and the availability of food. ...

Do polar bears hibernate?

A: Female and male black and brown bears hibernate over the winter months. ... Polar bears do not hibernate. Only pregnant polar bears den. Unlike hibernation, a polar bear's heart rate and temperate do not decrease, this ensures the cubs will stay warm.

What triggers hibernation in bears?

Bears enter a lighter state of sleep called torpor. Hibernation is a voluntary state an animal enters to conserve energy, when food is scarce, and minimize exposure to the winter elements. ... Hibernation is triggered by decreasing day length and hormonal changes in an animal that dictate the need to conserve energy.