Overview:
New England wildlife has adapted to survive cold winters for thousands of years, using natural adaptations such as growing thick winter coats, fluffing feathers for insulation, and limiting travel to conserve energy. While humans may be tempted to interfere and help, feeding wildlife is highly discouraged as it disrupts natural behaviors and can do more harm than good. Despite the harsh conditions, wildlife will survive and adapt, and the cycle of life in the wild will continue.
After a stretch of unseasonably cold weather, we are now reeling from a legitimate blizzard. We humans are forced to adapt to these extremes of weather and so is wildlife.
The heavy snowfall that New England is dealing with right now is stressful to all living things. Wildlife species in New England have survived cold winters for many thousands of years, utilizing a host of adaptations to survive cold temperatures, scarce food supplies and deep snow. It’s important to remember that wild animals have survived over time without the help of people and will continue to do so.
With that said, there is no denying that there will be negative impacts to birds and animals. If you have chosen to put out bird feeders, you have a responsibility to maintain them and keep them clean and filled. The feeders have brought in a number of birds and that has a negative side, as it also increases the potential of easy transmittal of disease and attracts predators.
Feeding wildlife in most cases, however, is highly discouraged. Although most people who feed wildlife have good intentions, they may not realize providing food for wildlife often does more harm than good by disrupting natural behaviors. Next time you think you should interfere to “help” wildlife in the cold, rest assured that fish and wildlife are well suited to naturally cope with Massachusetts winters using some of the following natural adaptations.
Every fall, wildlife tend to go on a feeding frenzy for the purpose of adding fat in preparation for the cold winter weather. The acorns, beech nuts, and other fatty foods are consumed by bears, squirrels, deer and chipmunks for that purpose.
Animals that are active and on the move during winter need to keep on eating to provide calories. Predators like coyotes, fishers, and bobcats, as well as hawks and owls, will hunt for food or scavenge on carcasses of dead animals. Whitetail deer undergo a change in their digestive system that allows them to feed on twigs, buds and bark. In deep snow, deer and turkeys will dig through the snow looking for nuts and acorns from the previous fall.
Next time you think you should interfere to ‘help’ wildlife in the cold, rest assured that fish and wildlife are well suited to naturally cope with Massachusetts winters using some of the following natural adaptations.
Deer and other mammals grow a thick, dense winter coat to cope with cold temperatures. Coyotes and raccoons appear to be much larger in winter due to these winter coats. Other adaptations have made wildlife more equipped to survive cold. Aquatic mammals like otter, beaver, mink, and muskrat have a double-layer coat with extremely dense, fine hairs near the body, protected by the visible longer guard hairs. These animals waterproof their fur by regularly rubbing body oils on it – allowing water to slide off instead of soaking in.
The winter coats of deer and moose have hollow hairs, which trap air, adding a layer of insulation. This is why snowfall builds up on their backs instead of melting. Birds will fluff their feathers out more, trapping air which acts as insulation, much like a down jacket. Ducks and geese not only have down feathers to protect them, they also rub oils on their feathers to keep water sliding off their back instead of soaking in close to their body.
Most importantly, deer will limit their travels to conserve energy and fat reserves. They naturally seek out areas near food and water with tree cover, which offers shallower snow, milder temperatures and protection from the wind. We need to avoid disturbing deer, but most importantly we must make sure our dogs do not run loose.
Those who enjoy looking for dropped antlers need to wait until the snow recedes. Deer can survive long periods on fat reserves if not disturbed. Turkeys flock so they can collectively root and expose food sources. They will gravitate to southern slopes and exposures, which melt first.
Bears hibernate, typically from November until March or April. If food is available, bears that are not pregnant may remain active throughout the winter. Woodchucks are “true” hibernators, meaning their heartbeat slows and their body temperature lowers, which conserves energy as they slowly burn through their fat in the long months of winter. Skunks will sleep through much of the winter, but when temperatures go above freezing, they may wake up and move about looking for food.
Ruffed grouse will tunnel into the snow during the night, making their own shelter to stay warm. Mice, voles, and other small mammals will create tunnel passages through the snow, giving them insulation from the cold, allowing them to escape detection from predators, and allowing them to feed on grasses and seeds from the past year’s growing season.
Beavers cut down trees in the fall and sink a large pile of branches for their winter food pantry. Their iced-over lodges have only an underwater entrance, providing protection against predators. When it’s time to eat, beavers slip into the water, swim over to the “pantry” and bring back branches and twigs, peeling and eating the bark with their sharp teeth and munching on twigs.
With that said, it goes without saying that there will be wildlife mortality this and every winter and the more severe the cold and snow conditions, the higher that will be. That is how the natural world functions. The days are getting longer and spring will come. Then the process will repeat itself and the cycle of life in the wild will begin again.
Remember to get your Mahar Fish’ Game Club Game Supper tickets. That is a chance to eat good and support a great cause. You can get them at the Corner Café in Orange, the Petersham Gun Club, from high school Fish’N Game Club members, or by emailing the club advisors Evelyn Cunha (ecunha@rcmahar.org) or William Devine (wdevine@rcmahar.org).
Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, former Connecticut Valley District representative on the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.