why don’t dear, elk, moose, wolves, etc get frostbite in winter?

Submitted by blind_ninja_guy t3_10modnu in askscience

Why don’t mamals that spend winters in mountain valleys that trap cold air not loose feet and such to frost bite, especially as they tramp along and down to rivers to get water? Also, how did tribes that live in far northern places protect their extremities? Do mamals become more immune to frost bite if they grow up dealing with constant cold?

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No_Perspective4340 t1_j6982i2 wrote

Simplest answer to the first question (from a non-expert): mammals that regularly live in the open cold tend to have specialized fur coats. These are really good insulators. That and their metabolism probably works in favour of keeping them warm.

As to the second question, hunter gatherer societies can use the pelts of the animals they hunt, as well as build structures that minimize the amount of wind you have to deal with. Often involving animal hides again, or other kinds of shelter. If you've ever been inside a hollowed out structure of snow (i.e. a quinzee), it is relatively warm compared to having no shelter at all.

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Otherwise-Way-1176 t1_j69x7ta wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#1,560,929)

>This is partly due to their metabolic rate, which is much lower in cold temperatures than it is in higher temperatures.

Are you sure this is accurate?

A lower metabolic rate would mean that the animal is generating less heat. Which presumably would confer lower cold tolerance than a high metabolic rate.

Hibernating animals do have a lower metabolic rate. But they compensate with more insulating fur, and by selecting sheltered places to hibernate. The lowered metabolism doesn’t help avoid frostbite.

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