1. What happens to animals in the autumn and winter?

2. Imagine the animals we have met in our story, The Wild Robot. Think of all the animals you can from the story. How do you think they are preparing for the winter? The bears? The beavers? The geese?

Hibernation is a way that some animals deal with the harshness of winter. They curl up in a safe place and stay there until winter ends. Hibernating animals seem almost dead. They barely breathe, and their body temperature is near the freezing mark. In warmer weather they return to their regular activities.

Animals that hibernate are called hibernators. They include bats, hedgehogs, ground squirrels, groundhogs, and marmots.

Hibernators like dark, quiet winter homes. Some go underground or into caves. They may line their hibernation place with grass, hair, and other materials.

Hibernators prepare for winter with extra eating. They store fat to keep them alive during the months when they do not eat. Some hibernators collect and store food before hibernating. At times during hibernation, these animals arise to eat and then return to hibernating.

A hibernator’s body responds to weather conditions. If the weather becomes too cold, the animal needs to move around to raise its body temperatures. An animal that does not do this may die. Warmer temperatures tell an animal to come out of hibernation.