February 26, 2008: Tortoises Hibernate

[binky]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

And this:

It has been revealed that, upon hypnosis resulting from the winter hibernation, the content of
glucose in the blood of mamals (Marmota menzberi Kaschk.) and reptiles( Testudo horsfieldi
Gray) has decreased whereas the components of the lipid exchange and the activity of the
enzyme alanin and aspartat transaminase have increased, the changes observed being more
pronounced in the tortoise than in marmote.
On a level of the intact organism in vitro, over the 30 fold and 100 fold decrease of gas oxygen
exchange takes place in marmots and tortoises, respectively upon the body temperature
decreases as low as 4-50C as a result of winter hibernation.
At a mitochondrial level, a decrease in the bioenergetic parameters by 4-6 times with a
prevailing inhibition of succinate oxidation was recorded in marmots and by 3 times in tortoises
in the state of hypobiosis, which witnesses deep restructuring of the enzymatic metabolic
characteristics of the tissue energetics under these conditions. More significant inhibition of the
respiratory activity in the mitochondria of the liver, kidney and heart against the other organs
was reported in ground squirrel when in the state of natural winter sleeping.
Upon the temperature drop in vitro by 37,25,160C the respiratory activity of the liver
mitochondria of active rodents was recorded to decrease to a significantly smaller degrees ( by 4
times ) than in those of the reptiles ( by 12 times ), thus witnessing a smaller temperature
dependence of the subcellular energetics of the warm blooded animals and the necessity of
functioning of special mechanism decreasing mitochondrial respiration in this group as
compared with the cold blooded animals while in hypobiosis.

http://kutuphane.taek.gov.tr/interne...ication-25.PDF

WHAT HE SAID. Seriously their metabolism slows to the point where they can live on stored fat during the winter

[Saphyre]

Originally Posted by binky

WHAT HE SAID. Seriously their metabolism slows to the point where they can live on stored fat during the winter

I wish I could live on stored fat during winter - I'd actually be ready for swimsuit season come May!!

But seriously - I have learned more about the hibernation habits of tortoises than I ever wanted to know!!