Now that summer is over, you might be left wondering… where are they now? For many of the species we work with here at Wildlife Preservation Canada, the cooler months mark a whole new chapter. Some have embarked on epic migrations, traveling thousands of kilometers to warmer climates. Others are preparing for a long winter’s nap, conserving their energy until spring arrives.
Scroll down to find out where your favourite WPC focus species are now, and learn more about the unique ways each one survives the winter!
Bumble bees
Fall is a time of transition for bumbles. In late summer, new bumble bee queens (gynes) focus on mating and then begin preparing for overwintering. Before you know it, they go underground and enter their long winters nap. Here at WPC, our bees go through these same natural cycles. We provide them with mating opportunities before the winter and then give the new queens space to sleep. We place them in tubes filled with clean, sterilized soil and keep them in a controlled fridge environment where temperature and humidity are carefully monitored. We then check on them throughout the winter (weighing them and changing out their soil) to make sure they are doing well, and anxiously await their awakening in spring. This exact process is what led to our first-ever lab generation of bees this past year! We can’t wait to share more about these queens next spring, when they will have the opportunity to build colonies of their own.
Eastern massasauga rattlesnake
Eating as much as they can before they go down for their winter’s nap, these snakes look for shelter before the winter comes. These shelters could be root cavities, crevices or even old animal burrows like crayfish burrows. During the winter the snakes will not eat and they actually slow their metabolism down dramatically. By staying below the frost line in the ground as they hibernate, these amazing snakes are able to survive the cold harsh winters here in Canada, and will resurface in early spring!
Eastern loggerhead shrike
As these endangered birds begin their migration south from Ontario, we will start collecting important data on their migration routes into the United States. As of yet, we don’t have much data on their whereabouts once they cross the border… some birds may overwinter in the southeastern states and some may integrate with the non-migratory populations. In the meantime, our staff is busy analyzing all of the data from our successful summer, and are keeping an eye out for any motus (wildlife tracking system) data coming from the migrating birds as they pass motus towers.
Western painted turtle
Like many “cold-blooded’ reptiles, some species of Canadian freshwater turtles begin the fall by finding somewhere to relax for the winter, as food sources become scarce and temperatures drop. Undergoing a process similar to hibernation, brumation is when turtles become less active and reduce their metabolism. The western painted turtle, a species we work with here at WPC, will find a shallow body of water and head to the bottom for the winter. These turtles breathe through their skin, but mainly use the inside of their mouth and their cloaca (turtles are butt breathers!) to survive underwater. For the turtles kept in our care (like Tutu), we start this process by providing them clean soil in tubs, where they bury themselves. We then place those tubs in a special fridge so they can begin their winter’s nap.
Oregon spotted frog
Heading to the bottom of ponds, springs, streams or shallow wetlands, these amazing frogs will wait out the cold winter by hibernating in bodies of water that remain unfrozen – breathing through their skin to stay alive! For the frogs kept in our care, we start this process by providing them clean, outdoor tubs filled with water, where they will swim to the bottom as temperatures cool. We then make sure the tubs stay just above zero degrees throughout the winter – ensuring that the edges never freeze – and routinely checking on them (seen in this video) until it’s time to wake up in the spring.
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