This page contains affiliate links. The price you pay is unaffected, but we may earn a small commission from any purchases you make.
As autumn arrives in Britain, the landscape transforms into a beautiful palette of reds, oranges, and yellows. But it’s not just the leaves that are preparing for the changing seasons. British mammals are busy getting ready for the winter months. From storing food to growing thicker coats, our native wildlife has developed incredible adaptations to survive the cold. In this blog post, we will explore how different British mammals prepare for winter during autumn and offer tips on how you can help them during this critical time.
Why Do Mammals Prepare for Winter?
Winter brings shorter days, colder temperatures, and a scarcity of food. Mammals have adapted to these harsh conditions through various strategies. Some hibernate, others store food, and some grow a winter coat. These preparations are crucial for their survival, ensuring they can conserve energy and maintain their body temperature when food is scarce.
1. Hibernation: Nature’s Sleep Mode
Hibernation is one of the most well-known strategies that mammals use to survive winter. During hibernation, an animal’s metabolic rate drops significantly, allowing it to conserve energy. Body temperature decreases, heart rate slows, and breathing becomes shallow. Here are some British mammals that hibernate and how they prepare for this period:
Hedgehogs
Hedgehogs are one of the most recognisable hibernators in Britain. In autumn, they spend their time eating as much as possible to build up a layer of fat, which will sustain them through the winter. They typically feed on insects, worms, and berries. Hedgehogs look for a sheltered spot to hibernate, such as under piles of leaves, in compost heaps, or inside specially designed hedgehog houses. You can help hedgehogs by providing food like meaty cat or dog food and by creating safe hibernation spots in your garden.
Bats
Bats in the UK, such as the Pipistrelle and the Brown Long-eared Bat, also hibernate. They begin searching for suitable roosting sites in autumn, often in caves, old buildings, or hollow trees. Before hibernation, bats feed heavily on insects to build up fat reserves. These reserves are crucial as bats can lose a third of their body weight during hibernation. To support bats, consider installing bat boxes in your garden and preserving natural roosting sites like old trees.
Dormice
The Hazel Dormouse is a small, nocturnal rodent that hibernates in the winter. In autumn, dormice fatten up on nuts, berries, and insects. They build nests in dense shrubs or at the base of trees to hibernate. Hazel Dormice are a protected species in the UK, so conserving their natural habitat is vital for their survival. You can help by planting native shrubs and trees that provide food and shelter.
2. Food Storage: Stocking Up for Lean Times
Not all mammals hibernate; some stay active during winter and rely on stored food to survive. They spend autumn gathering and hiding food, which they can access when resources are scarce.
Squirrels
Red and Grey Squirrels are busy creatures in autumn, collecting nuts, seeds, and berries to store for winter. They use their keen sense of smell to locate their buried food even under a thick layer of snow. Squirrels often make multiple caches to reduce the risk of losing all their food to other animals or decay. To help squirrels, you can provide a squirrel feeder stocked with nuts and seeds, particularly during the autumn months.
Wood Mice
Wood Mice are known for their hoarding behaviour. In autumn, they collect seeds, nuts, and grains, which they store in underground burrows or under logs and stones. This stored food sustains them through the winter when fresh food is hard to find. Providing bird feeders can also help Wood Mice, as they will often pick up fallen seeds from the ground. I have even seen them climbing up to eat peanuts directly from a bird feeder in a tree.
3. Growing a Winter Coat: Nature’s Insulation
Some mammals do not hibernate or store food but instead rely on physical adaptations to survive the winter. They grow thicker fur or change their coat’s colour for better camouflage and insulation.
Foxes
Foxes are active throughout the winter, hunting for food. In autumn, they begin to grow a thicker, denser coat to keep warm during the colder months. The fur becomes richer and fluffier, providing excellent insulation against the cold. Foxes are opportunistic feeders and will hunt small mammals, birds, and even rummage through bins for food.
Stoats
Rabbits do not hibernate; they remain active and hunt for food year-round. In autumn, their fur grows thicker and often turns white. This white fur is known as ermine and was much prized by nobles and royals for lining their robes. It is still used today and can be seen at such events as the State Opening of Parliament. You can support stoats avoiding disturbing their dens.
4. Changes in Behaviour and Diet
Many British mammals adapt their behaviour and diet in autumn to prepare for winter. These changes help them conserve energy and increase their chances of survival.
Badgers
Badgers do not hibernate but become less active during the winter. In autumn, they eat heavily to build up fat reserves, which they rely on during periods of inactivity. Badgers also make sure their setts are well-maintained and insulated with fresh bedding. They feed on a wide variety of foods, including earthworms, fruits, and nuts. Creating a wildlife-friendly garden with a variety of plants can provide natural food sources for badgers.
Deer
Deer, such as Red Deer and Roe Deer, adapt to the colder months by growing a thicker coat. They also change their diet, moving from nutrient-rich summer grazing to eating more woody plants, bark, and twigs. This change helps them sustain themselves when grass and other vegetation are scarce. To support deer populations, maintaining and protecting woodland habitats is crucial.
Tips for Supporting British Mammals in Autumn
Provide Food and Water: Supplement natural food sources with wildlife feeders, especially during the autumn when animals are preparing for winter. Fresh water should also be available, as natural sources may freeze in winter.
Create Shelter: Leave piles of leaves, logs, and branches in your garden to provide shelter for hedgehogs, mice, and other small mammals. Consider installing wildlife boxes for bats and hedgehogs. Look at the hedgehog house or bat boxes.
Avoid Using Pesticides: Chemicals can poison mammals directly or indirectly by reducing the availability of natural food sources. Opt for organic gardening methods to create a safe environment for wildlife.
Drive Carefully: Be mindful of wildlife, especially at night when many mammals are active. Hedgehogs and other small animals often cross roads, so driving slowly in areas where wildlife is common can help prevent accidents.
Get Involved in Conservation: Support local wildlife conservation efforts by volunteering, donating, or participating in citizen science projects. Organizations like the Wildlife Trusts and the Mammal Society work to protect and conserve Britain’s native mammals.
#BritishMammals #AutumnWildlife #Hibernation #NatureConservation #WildlifeWatching #Squirrels #Hedgehogs #Bats #MammalHabitat #SupportWildlife
댓글