Body temperature of badger (Meles leucurus) during the winter hibernation

Abstract

Data of monitoring of the badger’s body temperature dynamics during winter period from October to early May, including hibernation, is presented. Temperature storage DS 1922 L-F5 was implanted intraperitoneally in a badger. 2 607 measurements of «deep» body temperature were made during more than seven months from October to May. The comings out of the hiding were ceased in the second half of November, and the badger did not come out of its artificial burrow until the first decade of March. For the period of hibernation, animal had lost more than three kilograms that corresponds to 25 % of its body weight. Minimal average daily temperature was (27,45±0,23)° in January, Min–Max (18,19-35,93)°. The absolute minimum 16,310 was recorded in December. The average daily temperature of a badger decreases for 6–70 in winter, and more than for 200 in absolute terms. In February, the average daily body temperature reached its minimum and began to grow smoothly.