Live Science Plus
Animal Gallery: Fun in the Snow
Even Animals Love a Snow Day!
Piles of fluffy snow probably bring to mind images of polar bears, but many different creatures enjoy playing around in the snow as well. We've put together a gallery of adorable animals frolicking in the flurries — including reindeer!
Wily Fox
The red fox is the most common and widespread fox species in the world, found throughout most of the United States.
Chilling Cougar
Also known as mountain lions, cougars are able to withstand harsh winter conditions thanks to their thick fur.
Dashing Through the Snow
The Arabian stallion originated from the arid desert climate of the Arabian Peninsula. Even so, the horses are now found around the world and can handle living in cold weather.
Yay! Snow Day!
Weddell seals, like the happy one above, love the cold. These seals are found farther south than any other mammal, diving and hunting under the permanent ice that surrounds the Antarctic coast. Thick layers of blubber allow the Weddell seals to withstand the freezing temperatures.
Falling Flurries
This family of wild boars is making its way through a dense snowfall in Hungary, where the wild pigs are common. During the winter, their dark brown or black fur grows in denser to help the animals conserve body heat.
Making a Snow Angel, Perhaps?
In the above photo, a captive Amur tiger is enjoying rolling around in the snow. Amur tigers, one of six remaining subspecies of tigers, are critically endangered. They are primarily found in eastern Russia, with a small number in northeastern China. [Gallery: Tiger Species of the World]
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Doe-Eyed at the Snow
Three whitetail deer doe photographed standing in the woods during a winter snowfall. These deer are found throughout most of the continental United States. White-tailed deer have differing "coats" depending on the season. During the summer, they sport short, rust-colored coat hairs, and during the winter, they grow a longer, thicker, gray-brown coat that provides insulation against the harsh weather.
Snowy Sheep
This sheep is taking a moment to enjoy the bright, white snow in a meadow in the Netherlands. A sheep's warm, fluffy fleece keeps it warm during the winter months. Since grass is rare during the cold season, the sheep feed on hay instead.
Making Their Way
Pictured above, a herd of horses navigate through the results of a heavy snowfall. During the winter, if temperatures are especially cold, horses will eat more hay to meet their body's increasing energy demand for heat production.
Piglets on a Snowy Stroll
Like horses, pigs need to eat more during extremely cold weather to accommodate for the extra energy they need to keep warm. (The young pigs pictured above are in the Swiss Alps.)