Why Wood Frogs Shouldn't Wear Slippers

When hibernating, the wood frog's extremities slowly freeze solid, toes first. It is this freezing that triggers the physiological changes which protect the body core from freezing. Slippers would prevent the signal that changes are necessary. Without protection, freezing toes trigger the liver to pump glucose into the frog's body fluids. It is this sugar water that protects the frog by lowering the freezing point of its body fluids, pulling water out of its cells, protecting them from damage, and also providing an alternate source of energy.

Other arctic animals have different adaptations that allow them to survive the extreme conditions of this region. You can find out more about them by exploring the adaptation pages in each of the organism sections.

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