What is the difference between hibernation and estivation

The lesson provides a detailed insight into the difference between hibernation and aestivation in a tabular form for easier understanding. Hibernation is a situation where certain animals go dormant completely during winter by lowering their metabolic activity. The phenomenon is also known as winter sleep. These animals eat a lot of food and store them in the form of fat. Tickets must be purchased online. Timed entry is required.

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Such hibernators like mammals and bear spent maximum time in dens. Though mammals are not the true hibernators as their body temperature does not get much lower, and they are not entirely inactive. Insects hibernate themselves by keeping themselves warm in the holes of the ground, or in rotting logs or under tree bark, whereas frogs, turtles, and fishes take shelter in the deep water of lakes and ponds, or by burrowing in muds. Hibernations is called the dormant condition as the animals emerge to be almost dead or near to it.

Their body temperature is around to 0 degrees C or 32 degrees F. The only system which is active in their body is breathing, which is also at a slower rate, like their heartbeat.

Another main significant problem faced by these animals is the unavailability of food. Hence, before winter sleep the animals eat extra food and store in the form of excess fat, which is supplied in the form of energy while sleeping. During the hibernation, animals awaken at few intervals in order to feed themselves again and return to the same state, this is the time when they are exposed to the warmth, and slowly get active for some time.

Aestivation or estivation is almost similar to hibernation, but the distinct critical point is that aestivation is the summer sleep. It occurs to the animals living in deserts or tropical areas.

It occurs because of the hot and dry climate as well as due to the lack of food and water. In order to survive under hot climate, the vertebrates like arthropods, Mollusca, reptiles, amphibians, lady beetles, moths, salamanders, crocodiles and tortoises of North America, aborigines, swamp turtle greater siren, African hedgehogs proceed by going underground in the humid and cold region.

This last for the summer season and the animals get active slowly at the end of the season. Three major forms of dormancy in mammals have been classified: hibernation in endotherms is characterised by reduced metabolic rate MR and body temperature Tb near ambient temperature Ta over prolonged times in the winter. Estivation is a similar form of dormancy in a dry and hot environment during summertime. Daily torpor is defined as reduced MR and Tb lower than 32 degrees C, limited to a duration of less than 24 h.