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Alpine Marmots

Hibernation

'''Alpine marmots survive extreme changes in weather and food shortages during winter by hibernating. '''

As the summer begins to end, alpine marmots will gather old stems in their burrows in order to serve as bedding for their impending hibernation, which can start as early as October. They seal the burrow with a combination of earth and their own faeces. Once winter arrives, alpine marmots will huddle next to each other and begin hibernation, a process which lowers their heart rate to five beats per minute and breathing to 1&#x2013;3 breaths per minute.

'''Huddling next to nestmates allows for passive heat exchange and larger hibernating groups result in increased survivability. '''

During hibernation their stored fat supplies are used slowly, which usually allows them to survive the winter. Their body temperature will drop to almost the same as the air around them, although their heart and breathing rates will speed up if the environment approaches freezing point. Some alpine marmots will starve to death due to their layers of fat running out; this is most likely to happen in younger individuals.

COPIED FROM Alpine marmot