ETYM Cf. French hibernation.
State of dormancy in which certain animals spend the winter. It is associated with a dramatic reduction in all metabolic processes, including body temperature, breathing, and heart rate. It is a fallacy that animals sleep throughout the winter.
The body temperature of the arctic ground squirrel falls to below 0şC/32şF during hibernation. Hibernating bats may breath only once every 45 minutes, and can go for up to 2 hours without taking a breath.
1. Cessation from or slowing of activity during the winter; especially slowing of metabolism in some animals.
2. The act of retiring into inactivity.
3. The torpid or resting state in which some animals pass the winter. + prikaži više