Many scientific disciplines deal with the temporal characteristics of nature. Detailed knowledge of the causes and consequences of the seasons is important in agriculture, weather and climate research, ecology, medicine and tourism. This web portal offers a lot of interesting information on this topic.more

Image: LaMantarraya, stock.adobe.commore

Animal Behaviour throughout the Year

Animals follow the seasons very closely. Changes in the length of the day or temperature affect the animals’ hormone production and cause them to behave according to the season. For that reason, animals instinctively know when it’s time for them to mate, build a nest, fly south or stock up on food for the winter.

A keen sense for snow...
A keen sense for snow...Image: Craig Lewis

Changing of Coat

Hermelin im Sommerfell
Image: Steve Hillebrand, USFWS


Almost all mammals living in temperate and polar latitudes adapt the structure of their fur to seasonal conditions. This allows them to protect themselves from the cold or to adapt the color of their fur to their environment in order to be camouflaged from predators or prey. The snow hare or the ermine, for example, adapt to their surroundings with a brown fur coat in summer and a white fur coat in winter.

Siebenschläfer im Winterschlaf
Image: Krzysztof Dreszer

Learn more about the fascinating winter strategies of the animals...

Weissstorch
Image: Tuxyso / Wikimedia Commons

Here you can learn more about migratory birds...