All living things try to ensure their own safety with the instinct of protection from the harsh conditions of winter. This instinct leads different animals to develop various protective strategies. While some animals migrate to warm climates before winter comes, others bury themselves deep in the soil and hibernate. Alaskan Tree Frogs spend the winter months with a unique system.
scientific name Rana Sylvatica This frog species lives in the north of America, Alaska and Canada. Faced with extremely low winter temperatures, these frogs often bury themselves in the mud at the bottom of lakes, ponds, or other bodies of water. This behavior prevents freezing and makes the animals’ waiting period safe.
But as winter approaches, tree frogs They bury themselves in a shallow burrow on land. The leaves and litter covering the frog provide limited insulation against the cold. In reality, there is insufficient insulation for the animal to freeze quickly. However, although many creatures are resistant to freezing, few animals can reach the level of Alaskan Tree Frogs.
Blood Circulation Stops Completely
Freezing tolerance of the Alaskan Tree Frog, It arouses great interest among biologists. According to research, more than 65% of the water in the bodies of these frogs when exposed to freezing temperatures freezes completely. However, frogs can survive for weeks in freezing conditions, although no signs of life are observed.
This unique mechanismsometimes frogs can stay alive for days or even without breathing for weeks and allows them to remain without a heartbeat. Due to the layer of ice covering the frog’s skin, abdomen and muscle fibers. blood circulation stops completely. Even when the aorta is cut no bleeding. During this process, the frog’s heart and other vital organs turn pale, its arms and legs harden, and its eyes become hazy.
For frogs, whose metabolic activities almost come to a halt, this process four months It lasts until. In the coldest times of winter, frogs freeze close to the ground surface, along with everything around them. As the temperature increases, the ice meltsr. After the ice is thawed, the frogs’ heartbeats start again and they begin to breathe rapidly. Frogs, who return to their vital activities in this way, become active within almost a day and continue their lives where they left off.
They Have a Natural Antifreeze System in Their Blood
The freezing-thaw cycle of frogs during winter is a mechanism that has attracted the attention of scientists. According to research, tree frogs have a natural antifreeze system in their blood. This system comes into play when the frog’s skin begins to freeze; This freezing leaves the body hard and brittle, so fragile that they almost fall to the ground. Then, a special protein in their blood (nucleating proteins) causes the water in the blood to freeze.
The resulting ice absorbs approximately 70% of the water in the frogs’ cells. Meanwhile, the frog’s liver produces a large amount of glucose secretes. The secreted glucose supports the empty cells by filling them. The high glucose concentration prevents cells from freezing, which helps the frogs survive.
in hibernationthe concentration of glucose in the cells of frogs can be a hundred times higher than in normal times, which prevents the water from draining completely because complete discharge of water can cause the death of frogs.
In fact, the inside of cells never freezes; only the water outside the cells freezes. Cells that lose water shrink, fill with a thick, sugary liquid, and this lowers the freezing point of the tissues. As the weather warms and the ice begins to melt, the frog’s body begins to thaw from the inside out. Water gradually returns to the cells, blood circulation begins as the heart begins beating again, and then breathing begins.
Tree frogs have a significant advantage over other frog species. In spring, the soil and frog bodies begin to thaw before the icy cover of lakes, ponds and rivers. Therefore, tree frogs can breed before other species.
