List of Animals that Hibernate

Badgers

Badgers are commonly known as hibernators. However, they differ slightly from
other hibernating animals as they have a temporary hibernation. The badgers'
temperature drops only slightly during hibernation, and they awaken several times
throughout the winter, making them different from true hibernators. Badgers burrow
underground every night and store plenty of food throughout the winter, waking up
to eat and then go back to sleep again.

Bats

Some, but not all, bats hibernate. They hang upside down in dark places, such as
caves and old mines, often in groups. When hibernating, the bat's temperature drops
until it is relative to the temperature outside. As long as the bat stocks up enough fat
in its body before winter, it is able to hibernate for a long time. As a nocturnal species,
it sleeps during the day and wakes at night, though not as when hibernating.

Squirrels, Chipmunks and Prairie Dogs

These three animals are very active during the day, gathering food to take into
underground burrows at night and during hibernation. These three species hibernate
for roughly half the year, sleeping during the cold. They wake up once a week for
about half a day, then go back to sleep again. These species may also estivate --
which is like hibernation during summer months to get away from the overwhelming
heat in warmer climates.
 Groundhogs or Woodchucks

Similar to members of the squirrel family, this species goes into burrows throughout
the vast majority of the winter. They hibernate with fellow family members, rarely
coming outside. Unlike squirrels, however, this species lives solely off of the fat it
stores up before carrying out hibernation, never coming out of its burrow. During
hibernation, they are very deep sleepers who rarely move.

Raccoons

Before winter months, Raccoons try to fatten up off of nuts and berries to prepare for
the colder winter months. Raccoons are nocturnal and lose roughly half their body
weight by the end of their hibernation in colder months. They have dens that are
usually hollowed out logs or trees. In warmer climates, however, raccoons stay active
the majority of the year.

Skunks

The skunk, famous for the foul smell it gives off when in danger, creates underground
dens for colder hibernation months. When the skunk hibernates, it plugs up the
openings of its den to keep as much heat in as possible. Like other animals, the skunk
fattens up for winter and hibernates more like a badger. This means it is more of a
temporary hibernator, waking up often to eat and then going back to sleep for about
a third of the year.
 Bears

Many books do not classify bears as true hibernators. This is because they are similar
to badgers, skunks, raccoons and squirrels in their hibernating ways. Bears are
temporary sleepers and are awake and even slightly active during the daytime. They
do, however, find winter dens and make themselves beds to keep warm during the
winter months. Female bears typically have their cubs during hibernation months,
which last three to nine months. What sets a bear apart from other true hibernators is
that their body temperature does not drop much and they are very light sleepers.