Frogs do hibernate. Crucial thing is to be on top of the mud and not buried in it. Being on top of the mud lets oxygen from the surrounding water get in through their skin.
The rest of their body systems slow right down and they wait out the winter. This slowing of body systems during hibernation is a bit like other kinds of hibernation we know about in mammals such as bears, bats, and ground squirrels. But of course frogs are amphibians and so their hibernation is very different in some ways. Being amphibians they are cold-blooded, or ectothermic. They have to take heat from their surroundings.
Some other ectothermic animals, like snakes or crocodiles, sit still in the sun to keep warm. But the wonder of being poikilothermic, like a frog, is that you can live through huge changes in your body temperature.
While aquatic frogs are camping out on the bottom of the lake all winter, terrestrial frogs further north will spend the winter under a log or some leaves. As the winter bites the frog pumps a kind of anti-freeze through its body. Then parts of the frog literally freeze solid. Its heart stops beating, it stops breathing and as far as we know the brain pretty much stops working. Even though parts of the frog will freeze solid the anti-freeze protects the individual cells.
When spring comes the frog springs back into action. Their bodies virtually freeze solid and their hearts stop beating. To the naked eye, these frogs appear completely frozen. While this process is easily explained scientifically, it still seems like a little bit of magic that these tiny frogs essentially come back to life each spring to find their mate.
All ectotherms require oxygen for survival and have to be concerned about the temperature, but aquatic animals face another type of challenge altogether — the possibility that the water surface will freeze and they will not be able to reach their oxygen source.
Aquatic turtles, however, are ready for the challenge and can physically adapt when their habitat ices over. The turtle often settles at, or close to, the bottom of the water source, its movements lethargic and at times nonexistent. While this behavior is similar to that of many other ectotherms in helping preserve energy, the turtle has another trick up its sleeve.
Similar to the way a fish draws in oxygen through its gills, the turtle is able to absorb oxygen from circulating water as it passes over its skin. The tail of the turtle is especially efficient at absorbing oxygen due to the fact that it is extremely vascular.
This process is called cloacal respiration. Turtles can literally breathe through their butts, which may seem a bit odd but is an adaptation that is invaluable to the survival of the turtle. Adaptability is critical in the eternal quest for survival in the natural world. At the bottom of a pond, this stance provides stability against any activity that might dislodge it from its winter refuge. An active frog keeps its eyes open top photo to be aware of events in its environment.
However, during hibernation, debris and other organisms may scrape across the eyes. To protect the eyes from damage, the frog raises a special "eyelid" called a nictitating membrane see middle photo of a toad eye.
At the same time, the bulging eye is pulled closer into the head bottom photo. Perhaps the most significant change is in respiration. As the frog cools, it requires less oxygen. A cooler frog can stay completely submerged for longer periods of time, only surfacing occasionally for a needed gulp of air.
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