Lifestyles of Taiga Animals Throughout the Winter
Some animals that you would expect to find in taiga landscapes include:
- ptarmigans
- squirrels
- ermine
- chipmunks
- cow moose
- black bears
- snowshoe hare
- lynx
- buffalos
These animals need to be completely adapted to the taiga's many different seasons due to the especially harsh climate. Some get ready for the winter by storing extra fat on their bodies to keep warm. Numerous taiga animals need to alter their diet programs for every season. For example, in the summer time and spring the cow moose eats water plants and plant shoots, and in drop and winter they search for twigs, berries, and conifer branches.
Other animals, like the ermine change their coat colour from brown in the summer time and fall to white in the winter months and springtime to blend with the snow. Their spring and summer time coats will also be thinner so they are able to keep cooler during days with higher temperatures. Other creatures like chipmunks, hibernate during the winter. They maintain their physical temperature just above the freezing stage so their tissues don't freeze while they hibernate.
Some animals, for example the lynx and snowshoe hare, grow extra fur about the bottom of their feet to travel on the snow more easily. In addition, it keeps their feet quite comfortable and spreads their weight more evenly on the snow so they don't sink. Heavier animals, such as the caribou and bison, plow through the snow rather than treading on top of it. Animals in the lead make paths through the snow for the rest of the herd to follow. Other animals, like fox and wolves, also take advantage of these paths.
Some creatures, such as lemmings, mice, shrews, and voles, reside beneath the snow throughout the winter. They live in snow tunnels, which are formed simply because the area from the earth gives off heat and leads to a thin layer of snow right over the ground. This produces a narrow tunnel underneath the snow. The snow above these tunnels acts as insulation and keeps temperatures just beneath freezing. This allows lemmings, shrews, mice, and moles to remain secure from the harsh weather so they are able to reproduce. Bears also recreate during the winter months. They give birth to their cubs within their dens, in which they stay until the spring, when times get longer and warmer.