Bitesize Bonus: Brumation

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VIGNETTE (00:00)

EMILY BISHOP: You’re probably familiar with Hibernation – that time when animals, like bears, settle their brains for a long winter’s nap.

But bears aren’t the only animals that have a period of rest in the colder months.

Ectotherms also undergo a period of rest called brumation. Snakes, lizards, and turtles, among other reptiles and amphibians, are able to slow their metabolic processes and increase their fat storage, which are key to their survival.

But the factors that trigger brumation in wild ectotherms aren’t necessarily present for their Zoo counterparts. So how does that affect the amphibians and reptiles’ health? And can you trick an ectotherm into brumating?

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INTRO (00:50)

BISHOP: Hello, and welcome to the Sedgwick County ZooCast Bitesize Bonus.

I’m your host, Emily Bishop, and this mini episode we’re giving you the Zoo Scoop on Brumation.

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WHAT IS BRUMATION? (01:06)

DAVID KELLEY: So, brumation is sort of the reptile and amphibian equivalent of hibernation, with a couple different differences. The main being that this is an involuntary process that’s completely dependent on the outside weather. As the seasons begin to cool, the animals begin to have their metabolic rate slow, until eventually, they can slow it to a point where they basically, how do I how do I phrase it, all metabolic processes basically stop for the most part, even their oxygen levels decreased to the point where they require so much less than a mammal would in hibernation, for example. But they are not beholden to the weather. If it begins to warm back up, maybe there’s a two or three day time period, they’re actually able to come back out of this brumation, their metabolic rates increase, they might take in some sun, they might drink some water. And then as the temperature cools again, they’ll go back down and resume their quote unquote, hibernation or brumation.

BISHOP: That’s David Kelley, an ectotherm zookeeper at Sedgwick County Zoo. He looks after the reptiles, amphibians, and fish that call Sedgwick County Zoo home.

Brumation is a period of rest that usually lasts 2-4 months depending on the species of ectotherm. It’s caused by changes in the weather, and therefore changes in resources. But the ectotherms at SCZ don’t have to worry about a lack of resources, and they live in temperature-controlled habitats. So that raises the question, do the ectotherms at the Zoo brumate?

KELLEY: Yes, for multiple reasons, it generally, the number one important thing is it’s just healthier for them. They are built to do it. So, it’s just a natural part of their life.

BISHOP: Brumations is a necessary process for certain ectotherms to undergo for many reasons.

Firstly, it aids in breeding. During brumation, ectotherms have an increase in their fat storage due to their metabolic processes shutting down. When they awaken in the spring, they’re then able to use their fat deposits in the production of eggs.

KELLEY: But it does actually benefit their reproductive processes as well. Many reptiles kind of depend on that as sort of the signal to say, “all right, the cold season is over, we are now able to begin depositing our fat stores into eggs.” The males begin to court females and it kind of starts the reproductive patterns.

BISHOP: Secondly, brumation increases the lifespan of the ectotherms because their metabolic processes slow. They’re designed to brumate.

KELLEY: Many reptiles are built to have that break. And when you don’t give them that break, their lifespan is automatically shortening. You’re basically just speeding up that metabolic clock. So, by providing the hibernation or brumation period, we’re allowing the animals take the proper break to be able to live their natural lifespan.

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HOW THE ECTOTHERMS BRUMATE AT SCZ (04:06)

BISHOP: Getting the ectotherms ready to brumate doesn’t just happen over night

KELLEY: You might not see the change from the public perspective. But we actually begin to change the temperatures inside the exhibit, to slowly, over the course of a month or so, we might change it from I believe it goes to about 80 and then down to about 55 in the wintertime. And then it just stays there until the springtime

BISHOP: It’s important to introduce these environmental changes slowly so as to not shock the ectotherms.

Once the temperature is lowered, the ectotherms burrow in preparation of brumation. Snakes and lizards tend to wedge themselves into rock crevices. Box turtles will burry themselves.

Additionally, while not all ectotherms brumate, even the ones that don’t tend to undergo a change in their metabolic processes. They don’t enter a period of rest, but their activity slows down and their appetite lessens.

KELLEY: You know, during the summertime, I might feed a salamander two or three times a week. During the wintertime, I’ll give them the option to eat. But most of the time, they might only take food once a week, but their entire body, their entire metabolic processes are still active, just severely reduced.

BISHOP: From rattlesnakes to Chinese alligators, the winter months signal a time of rest for many ectotherms, big and small.

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LEARN HOW THE ZOO MAKES HOLIDAY SHOPPING EASY (05:34)

BISHOP: That’s what’s new at Zoo with Brumation. But keep listening after a brief message about how the Zoo makes holiday shopping easy to learn more about species that are particularly skilled at brumation.

Trying to find the perfect gift for a loved one can be tough. Shopping during the holiday season is stressful.

So why not make things easy and get your loved one a gift they’ll never forget?

When you purchase the Sedgwick County Zoo’s Holiday Gift Membership, you not only get two additional guest passes, but 15 months of membership for the cost of 12.

Enjoy unlimited visits to the Zoo, early entry, discounts on special events, and early access to the Sedgwick County ZooCast.

Visit scz.org/membership and select the Holiday Gift Membership option to get started. 

This year, take the stress out of holiday shopping and give the gift of membership.

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SPECIES THAT ARE PARTICULARLY SKILLED AT BRUMATION (06:44)

BISHOP: Many of the amphibians at Sedgwick County Zoo do not brumate, they instead enter a period of slowed metabolism while still remaining awake.

But that’s not the case for all amphibians. Wood Frogs have a high tolerance to the cold.

In the winter months, these frogs have ice crystals form in their body. Up to 65% of the water in their body will freeze. They’ll even stop breathing and have their heart stop. But due to a high concentration of glucose in the frog, its vital organs are not frozen.

Once the frog warms up, its organs resume their normal functions and the frog is ready to thrive, alive once more.

Additionally, turtles are expert hibernators.

KELLEY: Turtles are masters at hibernation. I think, we don’t have these species at the zoo. They’re just one of my favorite examples, would be actually the Russian tortoise or the Central Asian steppe tortoise. They tolerate such cold temperatures, they almost produce an anti-freeze like substance in their blood to be able to sustain themselves through the hibernation period. That’s a very extreme example. But yes, many of our North American box turtles, many of our aquatic turtles are able to hibernate. Some just go in the water where it’s warmer, they can pull dissolved oxygen through the water through their cloaca and stay active and get oxygen. And so long as the water doesn’t freeze, they basically just hang out for the wintertime.

BISHOP: Not that it’s a competition, but if it were, it seems like turtles and frogs would win the award for settling their brains for a long winters nap.

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OUTRO (08:28)

BISHOP:Thanks for listening to this Bitesize Bonus episode of the Sedgwick County ZooCast.

For more information on brumation, be sure to follow us on social media, which is linked in the description of this episode. And check out our website: scz.org

I’ve been Emily Bishop, and we hope you enjoyed this mini episode of the Sedgwick County ZooCast.