How animals beat the heat

December 8, 2023 6:46 PM

While the northern hemisphere is heading into winter, in Australia we are gearing up for a long, hot summer. Australian animals have some surprising ways of beating the heat, including mucus, saliva and tree-hugging.

Warning: incredibly cute photos of Australian wildlife.

posted by Athanassiel (5 comments total)

The cutes are reel!!
posted by supermedusa at 7:21 PM on December 8, 2023

Super article, thanks for posting, I've seen almost nothing of Oz, but if I go again a friend has offered to show me a little more across to start of the Nullabor.

Loved seeing the echidna in a water dish, Oz fauna is going to need a lot of climate refuges.
posted by unearthed at 12:06 AM on December 9, 2023

have some surprising ways of beating the heat, including mucus, saliva and tree-hugging

same
posted by neuron at 9:05 AM on December 9, 2023

I love reading about this stuff, especially the termite mounds. I want all human buildings to be cooled as passively as possible.
posted by pracowity at 9:07 AM on December 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

I love the mental image I now have of bilbies digging little timeshare condos for all the little critters.

I mean, I know that it's common for animals to use burrows dug by other species, but it's still an adorable image.
posted by Vigilant at 12:44 PM on December 9, 2023