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<\/p>\nAt Earth Rangers, we\u2019re big fans of saving energy but we know that once it gets cold out, it\u2019s very tempting to turn up the heat. Rather than turning it all the way up, we want you to keep it as low as you can to help you save energy.<\/p>\n
Not sure how you\u2019re going to be able to survive the cold? Look no further than nature for some inspiration! Check out these animals that power down every winter to save energy.<\/p>\n
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When the temperature drops, male and worker bees die off but the queen survives by hibernating. She hibernates in a hole in the soil, in rotten tree stumps or under leaf litter. She will emerge 6-8 months later, warm-up and then find a nice spot to build a nest and create a whole new team of bees.<\/p>\n
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\nUnlike the bumblebee queen, who hibernates alone, garter snakes hibernate in groups. In Canada, where winters are exceptionally cold, there can be hundreds and sometime thousands of snakes grouped together for warmth. Once spring arrives and the snow melts, they head out of their winter homes to bask in the sun. It\u2019s quite a sight to see!<\/p>\n
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When bats are left alone, they can be some of the longest hibernators in the animal kingdom. In the wild, big brown bats have spent 64-66 days in hibernation while in captivity one lasted an incredible 344 days! These little guys don\u2019t have to eat but they do wake up to drink. Their heart rate drops from 1000 beats per minute to only 25, and some bats only take a breath every 2 hours.<\/p>\n
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Only four species of bear hibernate: American black bear, Asiatic black bear, brown bear and polar bear. These furry mammals don\u2019t hibernate in the true sense because their body temperature only drops a little bit and they can wake up at any moment. During hibernation a black bear\u2019s heart can drop from 40-50 beats to 8 beats per minute and they can last as long as 100 days without eating or drinking!<\/p>\n
![\"Alpine](\"\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/alpine_marmot.jpg\")
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Marmots hibernate for up to 8 months! They spend the four months they are awake having babies and preparing for the next hibernation. During hibernation they take only 2-3 breaths a minute and their heartbeat slows down from their normal 120 beats to 3-4 beats a minute!<\/p>\n
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