I was talking to some new friends just the other day. My friend is a kindergarten teacher, and some of the children in her class had some really great questions. Somebody asked why some animals are different colors in the winter. I started to explain about their coats changing. Then a child asked me, “But, where do they go to change their coats?” This is one of my favorite questions ever!

“Where do they change their coats?”

Of course, they don’t just take off a coat and hang it in a closet.

There are over 20 species of mammals and birds that have a molted summer coat that is a different color in the winter. This is called seasonal camouflage. Camouflage is often called cryptic coloration (pretty fancy). It can also be called seasonal cryptic coloration. Most of these animals live in places just like where we live. These are places where the landscape changes to a white blanket in the winter.

Think about how hard it would be to find you or your little sister or brother, if they were playing in the snow in a white coat. But if they had that same white coat on in the summer, not only would they be too warm, they wouldn’t have a chance if you were playing hide and seek.

Most animals molt, which is to shed their hair or feathers, which are replaced with new. For some animals they even shed their exoskeletons. Our pets also molt their coats, oftentimes getting a thicker coat for the winter, especially if they spend more time outdoors.

My horse is so shiny and smooth in the summer. In the winter she has a long fuzzy coat.

What is different about the animals that we are going to talk about is seasonal camouflage. How do they know when to “change” their coat?

It is not something the animal has control of. The change is triggered by the change in the environment. To be specific, the change in the amount of light. As we get closer to winter, you may notice the days are shorter, there is less daylight. There is a very big word called photoperiodism. What happens is there is a detector in their eyes that notices changes in the amount of light. The brain is then triggered by the changes. The changes send signals to different parts of the brain. The brain then says, “Hey, let’s slow down on the melanin.”

Ok, so that’s not exactly how it happens. But, it is the brain that reacts to the changes in light. Then, the body is given less melanin, so tada, the coat will be white. It may take several weeks, depending on the species. You will notice when the nights are longer and the days get shorter, the animals bodies are reacting.

Some of the species that have seasonal camouflage or seasonal cryptic coloration include some of our neighbors. So keep an eye out for them!

The ermine, (short tailed weasel) you may find near your wood pile. This species is one of my favorite groups of animals, the mustelids, a part of the weasel family. They change their coat because they are predators. They hunt smaller animals such as rodents, small birds and frogs. They are also a prey animal, so other animals such as birds of prey and coyotes may hunt them.

The snowshoe hare is a prey animal, so having a white coat is very important to keep them safe in the winter. The hare is a lagomorph, which includes hares, rabbits and pika. This is a fun animal to read about, learning about what is different about a hare from a rabbit.

The ptarmigan is a bird that is a type of grouse. Of the three varieties, the white tailed ptarmigan can be found in Colorado in the alpine tundra. This is the only bird that lives year round at altitudes starting at 11,500 feet in elevation.

The Arctic fox is very well known for the seasonal coat change. Just as in their name, they live in the Arctic. This adorable fox has amazing adaptation abilities. It has small furry ears and a long fluffy tail that can be used like a scarf.

What do you think will happen with the changes in the weather caused by climate change? If there isn’t as much snow, or no snow? Will they be able to adapt?

This would be a great thing to talk about with your adults. It may be a problem. The good news is nature is amazing at adapting!

Have an animal question you’d like to ask? I look forward to hearing from you! Just send in your questions to EccoBelize22@yahoo.com.