what is another word for freezing to death

A partially frozen frog will stop breathing, and its heart will stop beating. Why? Antifreeze! True enough, ice crystals form in such places as the body cavity and bladder and under the skin, but a high concentration of glucose in the frog's vital organs prevents freezing. These hibernacula are not as well protected from frigid weather and may freeze, along with their inhabitants.Īnd yet the frogs do not die. Some frogs, such as the wood frog (Rana sylvatica) and the spring peeper (Hyla crucifer), are not adept at digging and instead seek out deep cracks and crevices in logs or rocks, or just dig down as far as they can in the leaf litter. American toads (Bufo americanus) and other frogs that are good diggers burrow deep into the soil, safely below the frost line.

Terrestrial frogs normally hibernate on land. They may even slowly swim around from time to time. Hibernating aquatic frogs, however, must be near oxygen-rich water and spend a good portion of the winter just lying on top of the mud or only partially buried. A hibernating turtle's metabolism slows down so drastically that it can get by on the mud's meager oxygen supply. In fact, hibernating frogs would suffocate if they dug into the mud for an extended period of time. A common misconception is that they spend the winter the way aquatic turtles do, dug into the mud at the bottom of a pond or stream. When spring weather arrives, the animal 'wakes up' and leaves its hibernaculum to get on with the business of feeding and breeding.Īquatic frogs such as the leopard frog (Rana pipiens) and American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) typically hibernate underwater. After an animal finds or makes a living space (hibernaculum) that protects it from winter weather and predators, the animal's metabolism slows dramatically, so it can 'sleep away' the winter by utilizing its body's energy stores. Hibernation is a common response to the cold winter of temperate climates. Various frog species use two strategies to deal with environmental extremes: hibernation and estivation. Some of their survival strategies are nothing short of ingenious. They can be found at the Arctic Circle, in deserts, in tropical rain forests and practically everywhere in between. Despite their fragile appearance and inoffensive ways, they have countless strategies to deal with the most severe climates this planet has to offer. He provides the following answer.įrogs are amazing animals. Rick Emmer is the lead keeper of The RainForest at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and an avid observer of amphibians.

What is another word for freezing to death