nature center notes
Winter can be wild too By Jordon Crawford Special to WNC Parent
We all know that winter in the mountains of Western North Carolina may be unpredictable; snow showers morph into sunny days, and mild weather turns to frigid cold overnight. It’s common knowledge that some animals — like black bears, groundhogs and box turtles — hibernate through the winter, but what about other animals? How do they survive the harsh wintry conditions? It turns out that many animals are well adapted to winter in the Southern Appalachians. River otters, for example, are undisturbed by cold temperatures; in fact, their playful nature shines through even when their rivers are covered with ice. Otters are specially equipped to handle the cold because their dense, waterproof fur keeps them warm. They are also able to dry off quickly by rubbing on grass, rocks, or
The cold weather doesn’t bother otters, including Olive at the WNC Nature Center. SPECIAL TO WNC PARENT
logs. When their rivers are frozen, otters don’t seem to mind; they playfully slide across the ice, diving in and out of the water through holes in the ice. Red foxes are also unfazed by winter in the mountains; a red fox wraps its
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long, bushy tail around its body when sleeping, as if snuggling inside a fluffy blanket. This behavior allows the fox to maintain its body temperature and keep warm, much like an otter’s waterproof fur protects the otter from the elements. Red foxes also have a unique method of hunting in the winter when snow covers the ground. They use their keen sense of hearing to track mice and voles under the snow — then they pounce and dive into the snow with nearly perfect accuracy, often emerging with a yummy prize. To see some of these behaviors for yourself, stop by the WNC Nature Center this winter. You’ll see many active animals, including the otters and foxes, and daily animal encounters allow you to learn about some of your favorite wildlife. For more information, visit www.wncnaturecenter.com.
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