Adaptation of Animals to

hot climate

Dr Pramod Kumar
Asstt. Professor
Dept. of Vety. Physiology
Bihar Veterinary College, Patna
Temperature stress is a physiological stress
induced by excessive heat or cold that can impair
functioning and may cause injury or death.
Exposure to intense heat increases body
temperature and pulse rate. If body temperature
is sufficiently high, sweating may cease the skin
and become dry and deeper hence faster
breathing may follow. Headaches, nausea,
disorientation, fainting and unconsciousness also
may occur.
Body heat is a type of thermal energy that is a
by-product of metabolism in higher animals
especially in birds and mammals. They exhibit a
close control of their body temperature during
environmental fluctuation. They increased blood
flow to the exterior surface and extremities.
Excessive body heat is dispelled chiefly by
increasing blood flow to the surface and
extremities by sweating or panting and by
maximizing exposure of the body surface to the
surroundings.
Bergmann’s rule states that endothermic animal
subspecies living in warmer climates have shorter
bodies than that of the subspecies living in colder
climates. Individuals with larger bodies are better
suited for colder climates because larger bodies
produce more heat due to having more cells and
have a smaller surface area to volume ratio
compared to smaller individuals, which reduces
heat loss. Bergmann’s rule can be applied to
mammals and some birds when the latitude and
temperature between groups differ widely.
Allen`s rule is a biological rule that says the
limbs of endotherms are longer in hot climates
and shorter in cold climates. Limb length affects
the body’s surface area, which helps with
thermoregulation. Longer limbs help to dissipate
heat, while shorter limbs help to conserve heat.
This can be observed in polar animals having
shorter limbs than other animals use to live in hot
areas and are laterally built.
• The mechanism to cool itself is by sweat
evaporation. Sweating occurs when the ambient air
temperatures is above 35 °C (95 °F) and the body
fails to return to the normal internal temperature.
The evaporation of the sweat helps cool the blood
beneath the skin and is limited by the amount of
water available in the body, which can cause
dehydration.
• The physiological mechanisms that reduced the rate
of metabolism and that modified the sensitivity of
sweat glands to provide an adequate amount for cool
down without the individual becoming dehydrated.
There are two types of heat the body is adapted
to, humid heat and dry heat, but the body has
adapted to both in the same way. Humid heat is
dangerous as the moisture in the air prevents the
evaporation of sweat. Dry heat is characterized
by warmer temperatures with little water vapor in
the air such as desert conditions. Dry heat is also
very dangerous as sweat will tend to evaporate
extremely quickly causing dehydration. Both
humid heat and dry heat favor individuals with
less fat and slightly lower body temperatures.
Factors involving in survival to extreme condition
Acclimatization - When the animals are exposed
to certain climates for extended periods of time,
physiological changes occur to help the
individual adapt to hot or cold climates. This
helps the body conserve energy.
Culture - Social adaptations enable to occupy
environments with temperatures that were
drastically different areas that would otherwise
be uninhabitable.
Genetic adaptations - There has been very little
research done in the genetics behind adaptations
to heat stress.
Behavioral Patterns - Animals in hot climates have adapted
behavioral patterns to avoid the hottest season. Costa's
hummingbird breeds in late spring and leaves the area for the
hot summer. Meanwhile, reptiles and mammals are only active
at dusk or night. Burrowing is also a useful mechanism. Lizards
bury themselves in the sand during the day, while rodents
create burrows and plug the entrance to keep out hot air.
Dissipating Heat - To keep cool, animals have created
mechanisms to encourage air circulation around their bodies
and to dissipate heat. Camels have a thin layer of fur
underneath their bellies to help lose heat, while a thicker layer
across their humps shade them. Owls, nighthawks and
poorwills fly around with their mouths open so water is
evaporated from the mouth. Vultures urinate on their legs so it
cools them down as it is evaporated. They can also fly high in
the air to experience cooler air flows.
• Sleeping All Day - Many animals survive heat
primarily by avoiding it. Being crepuscular or
nocturnal is a basic way of doing so like bobcats,
coyotes. These animals don't have to deal with
being active when heat peaks during the day.
• Going Underground - Avoiding the heat and
burrowing underground. Kangaroo rats and other
desert rodents dig themselves for homes.
• Higher Tolerance - Many animals in hot climates
have simply adapted to tolerate higher body
temperatures. Antelope squirrel can tolerate a
body temperature to more than 104 0F.
• Releasing Heat - Many animals that face
dangerously high temperatures have adapted to
better conduct heat off their bodies. Some birds can
decrease the insulation provided by their feathers.
Long appendages, as elongated ears on jackrabbits.
• Low Water Needs - Water is scarce in deserts, so
animals that live there have adapted to run on very
little. Gila monsters, store water in fatty deposits
for slow, long-term use. Camel humps aren't for
storing water, though; these fat deposits help them
go without food for extended periods. However,
camels minimize water loss by sweating, urinating
and defecating very little.
Estivation - Estivation is a form of torpor like
hibernation. Many animals in hot climates
lower their body temperature and their
metabolic rate. They become inactive,
reducing their response to the heat and their
water loss through perspiration, breathing and
relieving themselves.