Lesson 1.2 - Survivors

Some animals have adapted to survive periods where food and/or water are scarce. 

Read the Find Out Activity on page 181 to learn about two of these adaptations.  Note that you do not have to research the other ways that plants and animals adapt to survive. 

Question 1. What is hibernation? 

Question 2. What is torpor? 

Question 3. Give an example of an animal that hibernates and an example of an animal that goes into torpor.

 

Check your answers with those that follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers to Questions:

Question 1. What is hibernation?

Hibernation describes the condition in which an animal becomes completely inactive. The heartbeat and breathing slow to a minimum, and the body temperature decreases.

Question 2. What is torpor? 

In the textbook, torpor is the state of  inactivity or dormancy during which body processes slow because of extremely hot or dry conditions.  This is not completely true.  Torpor is a state of dormancy like hibernation except that torpor is during shorter periods of time.  Hummingbirds, for example, go into a state of torpor at night to save energy.  They awaken from torpor in the morning when the temperature rises; the process of waking up can take 20 minutes.  Torpor maintained over a long period, such as through the winter, is called hibernation.

Question 3. Give an example of an animal that hibernates and an example of an animal that goes into torpor.

A bear might hibernate through the winter.  A snail, hummingbird, and bat are go into torpor.

                       


Go to the next page to continue Lesson 1.