As winter sets upon us all, we withdraw into our homes to seek shelter from the bitter cold. The wildlife outside our windows is also rarely fond of the cooling climb and seeks shelter of its own. While those that can (typically Birds) leave, those that can’t have to make do with the frosty season as best they can. Many opt out entirely by simply sleeping through it in a process we call hibernation, a state whereby animals reduce their energy usage as much as possible until the weather improves with the coming of spring. Read more about how you can help hibernating animals in your garden this winter!
Nature lovers in particular may be inclined to help. But what can be done for the creatures sleeping all around us? As it happens, there is quite a bit that can help hibernating animals make it successfully through the winter. A couple of suggestions include:
Leaving Food Out
As winter comes food is soon scarce for wildlife, which is perhaps the biggest reason for hibernation. In preparation for this, animals will try to stock up on food, whether by eating it and converting it to fat reserves for use while they sleep or by gathering stockpiles in their burrows and nests.
If you are aware of particular animals living in your garden try to leave out food suitable for them. High-fat bird food for example or nuts for squirrels. Even once winter is in full swing it can still be helpful to keep putting food out. Not all animals sleep for the whole of winter and many wake for a short time, especially if the weather improves or if they simply need to go toilet.
Providing Water
Other than food, animals need water too and it is not something most animals are able to store. Putting out some water can help to address this need. Of particular note is the risk of the water freezing over on the coldest winter days. Most animals don’t have a way to melt the water to make a drinkable or are strong enough to break through the ice to get to the liquid underneath. This makes it essential to keep an eye on what’s happening with the water.
Maintaining Ponds
Ponds are a favoured place for aquatic animals such as frogs and toads to spend the winter, typically waiting on the bottom until the weather improves. For obvious reasons too, so do fish. However, Ponds need special care due to their smaller size and, in particular the risk of freezing over. While it is not likely the water will freeze more than a few inches thick frozen water effectively forms a barrier keeping fresh oxygen from entering the pond.
This becomes a particular problem where ponds have large amounts of leaves and other plant matter decomposing at the bottom. Though some animals like the aforementioned frogs will use these as cover through the winter months, the decomposing material will poison the water, especially where the by-product gases cannot escape the pond through frozen ice. It’s best then to clean out ponds from excessive amounts of dead leaves and other plant bits prior to winter arriving.
In the event frost does form, it is essential to make holes in the ice to allow air to circulate. Care should be taken not to smash or shatter the ice with heavy impacts however as the shockwaves caused can be dangerous to fish and other animals living beneath.
Being Careful With Fire
As tempting as a bonfire can be in the cold months, the gathered stacks of leaves and wood can be a tempting place for wildlife to use as a shelter from the cold and wet.  It’s best therefore to check carefully before setting up anything for burning to avoid unintentionally incinerating a family of hedgehogs who thought they’d found a nice dry place to wait out winter.
Provide Havens for Hibernation
While you can’t necessarily tell the wildlife where to go to hibernate, you can help provide obvious places for them to shelter from the frost. Putting up bird boxes or other small, secured shelters are great for animals that can access them and simple insect hotels can provide a great place for bees and other creatures to wait out the winter.
You can buy purpose-made places from many garden stores for this purpose or alternatively can put together a suitable DIY alternative using logs, bricks and other materials to make a rudimentary shelter.
Another great idea is to give over part of your garden to nature. Rewilding allows nature to do its own thing, including providing suitable space for animals to hibernate in overtime. It also encourages a more diverse range of creatures to visit your garden. One way of doing this is by using permaculture principles to help develop your garden and grounds to make it more inviting to animals, giving you a benefit to enjoy all year round.
