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Animals at the extremes: hibernation and torpor
Animals at the extremes: hibernation and torpor

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Learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

  • define and use, or recognise definitions and applications of, each of the bold terms

  • give definitions of the terms ‘hibernation’, ‘torpor’ and ‘adaptive hypothermia’, and the three physiological processes that underlie them

  • give examples of the diversity of the major groups of mammals and birds that contain hibernating species

  • describe the physiological changes occurring during entry to hibernation and at least three of the cues that may trigger entry

  • present evidence to show that hibernating mammals and birds retain physiological control of their Tb.