With much of the northern hemisphere embedded in a deep freeze, one wonders how cold weather animals remain alive through frigid temperatures. Energy supplies are drained in the cold making it necessary to have a good solid cache of warming survival skills. Some animals have adaptive features and other animals have found adaptive techniques. Some of their creative adaptations are listed below:

 

Penguins: The penguin's outer surface of feathers drops to temperatures lower than the surrounding air creating an insulating buffer. Further, to reduce heat loss from their feet by 15%, penguins will gently lean back picking their toes off the ice.

 

Humpback whale: Muscle movement is one way to stay warm but it also consumes much energy. Instead, the humpback whale stores extra fat in the form of blubber, to insulate it from chilly temperatures.

 

Polar Bear: The polar bear's trifecta of techniques include an underlying black hue on its skin to absorb sun, followed by a fluffy white fur coat for warmth and a coarser exterior fur made up of individual water repelling hollow hairs.

 

Many cold-blooded animals die in subzero temperatures because the water in their blood turns to ice requiring specialized adaptive techniques.

 

Icefish: The Antarctic Icefish evolved antifreeze proteins to flow through its blood and keep bodily tissues from freezing.

 

European common lizard: This lizard generates glucose and glycerol in its blood to prevent ice crystal development. Additionally for added energy, it creates specialized mitochondria for it cell membranes.