ORLANDO, Fla. – Cold weather in Florida may not be as frigid as the states to our north, but it still gets cold enough for frost to form, freeze warnings to be issued and there’s even been snow.
During cold snaps, our Pinpoint Weather Team will often remind pet owners to bring their furry friends inside to stay warm. Wild animals don’t have that option, so they’ve adapted different ways to stay warm. This goes for both warm and cold blooded creatures.
While this isn’t a complete list of all the wildlife, we decided to share a few - that you may or may not know - that are pretty cool.
Manatees
Floridians and tourists alike love to see manatees. We have manatee cams to watch them at our local springs. As cold fronts become more frequent, so do their sightings! Why? Manatees can’t survive in cold water.
When water temperatures fall below 68°F, the gentle sea cows become cold-stressed or sick and can die. During the winter months manatees will seek out the warmer water found in springs and power plant discharge basins. Power plants have become an artificial source of warm water for manatees that may not know where the natural warmer waters are located.
While the warmer water in the discharge basin might bring them relief, this isn’t the best option for the manatee. If the power plant is turned off for any reason, the water will not be warm. The manatees don’t know this and will still go to the basin in the winter expecting the warmer water and die staying near the plant.
Birds
Birds have a few unique ways to stay warm when Mother Nature’s winter chill arrives. Like humans, birds can shiver to maintain their body temperature. Shivering creates muscle contractions which helps them warm up.
Ever notice birds can appear extra fluffy or fatter during the winter months? There’s a reason. Birds will pack on body weight to help them stay warm and then fluff feathers for added insulation. Some species of birds will grow an extra layer of down.
All birds trap pockets of air around their bodies between the layers of dry and flexible feathers to stay toasty when it’s chilly outside. Oil glands near the base of the tail can be used to weatherproof their feathers and some species of birds will grow special feathers that turn into a powder which can be used for the same weatherproofing purpose.
Cuddle alert! Some smaller birds will crowd together and cuddle in trees and shrubs to share body heat while others make nests filled with leaves and even moss to create a nice little warm shelter deep inside the branches of shrubs or trees. A tree hole filled with similar insulators are spots cavity nesting birds like woodpeckers seek out. Bigger birds like owls or herons will find larger tree holes during the colder nights.
Bobcats, foxes, coyotes and bears (oh my!)
Many warm-blooded wildlife eat more during the fall to build up and store fat before winter arrives. Furry mammals will even shed their fall coat and grow a thicker one to keep warm during the colder weather. Dens are often used to huddle up together to keep warm out of the chilly elements. These creatures are less active in winter and use the space to rest as they need to conserve as much energy as possible.
Reptiles
Florida has a plethora of cold-blooded creatures and they have ways of regulating their body temperature during winter too.
Our ectothermic friends love to bask in the sun to maintain an adequate body temperature. Couldn’t get anymore Florida than that!
Before you go gathering a pile of leaves to clear the yard, keep in mind a snake might be in there.
Snakes use piles of leaves, holes, and even big tree branches or logs to hide themselves to safely limit their movement. By not moving a lot, the snake is able to slow down their metabolism to conserve energy.
We mentioned in the early fall that spider season was in full swing, you can check out that article here.
Spiders often will come inside homes to escape the big chill, but they do something else too. Our eight-legged friends along with other insects can make their own antifreeze so to speak. Inside their little bodies is a chemical that actually helps to keep ice crystals from forming inside them, keeping them functional during cold snaps.
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