How an Arctic Squirrel Survives Winter | Wild Alaska | BBC Earth

Out in the tundra the Arctic ground squirrel is awakening from his eight month hibernation, the longest deepest hibernation of any animal on Earth and pretty soon the females will awake too. Taken from Wild Alaska. Subscribe: bit.ly/BBCEarthSub
WATCH MORE:
New on Earth: bit.ly/2M3La96
Oceanscapes: bit.ly/2Hmd2kZ
Wild Thailand: bit.ly/2kR7lmh
Welcome to BBC EARTH! The world is an amazing place full of stories, beauty and natural wonder. Here you'll find 50 years worth of astounding, entertaining, thought-provoking and educational natural history content. Dramatic, rare, and exclusive, nature doesn't get more exciting than this.
This is a commercial channel from BBC Studios. Service & Feedback www.bbcstudios.com/contact/co...

[@dhruvgirgenti8268]

Dude sleeps for 8 months straight and comes up to bang immediately after. That’s some life

[@marsneedstowels]

James Bond will return in... 8 months.

[@platinum_4942]

LMAO

[@TheOneAndOnlyWisCali]

Dhruv Girgenti L😂L

[@majedulhayat4518]

And without food

[@sunnylight6742]

Researchers hope that their study of arctic ground squirrel will help them understand the human brain`s potential more fully. Their goal is to learn more about how to prevent or even reverse the cellular damage that occurs in brain diseases, including Alzheimer`s. Did the arctic ground squirrel`s resilient brain come by evolution? Or was it designed?

[@jessiedickson676]

When u take a nap in the afternoon and wake up at 8 and you don’t know your own name

[@BEHEDETY]

lol

[@k3ntizz675]

hahaha so true

[@Smiley_Face0]

Me

[@veronicam2942]

That’s a good nap. I love those kinds.

[@letticiadelgado9865]

Jessie Dickson lmao 😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@neutralcitizen1019]

She invites him to her place.. nice move

[@bodbn]

She needs him to bust a nut

[@Sandler23]

Why didn't they get a camera down that borrow?

[@mehboobkm2018]

@@Sandler23 u Are a pervert

[@andrew881000]

@@Sandler23 you sick fuck

[@Akon1998hell]

@@Sandler23 let the squirrels do their "squirrel things" you know

[@gosson355]

I'm jealous, only 4 months of getting busy then go back to bed for 8 months , evolution at its finest .

[@shyguy778]

Ahahaha

[@lonmnb]

evolution is hoax

[@elbo7755]

alright hotshot

[@AliThaPhoenix]

729 more whites and hispanics get welfare than blacks. All of that inbreeding made you prone to ignorance. I blame your mom/sister.

[@akairibbon4658]

@Ali Tha Phoenix Blacks make up ~40% of welfare all recipients. Whites make up ~40% of welfare all recipients. However, 12.3% of the population in america is black. Whites make up 62-77% depending on if you count white hispanics. So... if you can do math at all, many more blacks are on welfare. Now I won't insult your race like you did either xD

[@RazordraacGaming]

Finally, an animal relationship that doesn't involve pain lol

[@Shoreknight]

+RazordraacGaming Or death for that matter. (I'm looking at you spiders!)

[@haridojamaru829]

Roelof Hetsen well humans do worst. i mean like nowadays people are beginning too cast black magic at each other just too get what they want but black magic won't bring anything good but harm because black magic is evil and it was meant to harm people which is why it is taboo

[@rucebajer9361]

harido jamaru What are you inhaling? I’d like to try it.

[@justanotherhuman6532]

Well, we don't know. What happens inside holes, stays inside holes. Maybe they're into pain.

[@chummychimchim6734]

harido jamaru You are right, but Non Muslims won't understand what you are speaking about dear

[@Infammo]

"He's pretty much stopped breathing." *shows it taking giant breaths every couple of seconds*

[@dewinmoonl]

oh it's very slow compared to how they usually breath. if u see a real squirrl they breath freakishly fast

[@heidi7985]

Squirrels are tiny, their hearts beat 130 times per second.

[@heidi7985]

@boro vinkovna haha oops i think thats what i meant

[@zraaaa4209]

When they hibernate, they breath like a couple times minute

[@Martin-pb7ts]

"No time to hesitate" as it shows him hesitating. wtf?

[@stephanieagoto2096]

"she might be in a hurry, but she might still be choosy" damn. May 27 years old sister felt that

[@randomworld4662]

He lol

[@moonriser464]

stop it 😭✋

[@NicMor4]

The incredible variety of animals in nature never ceases to amaze me.

[@DanielPennybaker]

ImSureItsFine Weird how us humans evolved. We were once like them.

[@manamejeff8937]

+Daniel 786 Nothing but a theory tho.

[@TheArtiKle]

Poke King so is gravity

[@Daniel41145]

The Unknown Lel

[@jonathans4503]

Amen Jesus made us all. He is so great

[@101SOOM]

Netflix and chill

[@CreativeGuyKyle]

+101jlee *BBC Earth* and chill

[@CreativeGuyKyle]

Mela Pelas Well the "chill" part of that scenario is nature doing its thang I guess, XD!

[@joc4lyn639]

oh god

[@linux750]

+Earth Linger A lot of BBC Earth's documentaries *are on Netflix.* So the catchphrase "Netflix and Chill" still applies.

[@FelisBX7]

Squirrels don't have Netflix. They have Nutflix.

[@misbahailia3345]

Aww! The way she stomped her little foot, and squeaked to get his attention 💓. He looked at her as if to say. "let me at least fix my hair, and check my breath before we kiss 🤷‍♂️".

[@not2tees]

Their affection for each other is touching and human-like, and they make the most of their short time awake, bouncing around together and embracing each other's heads, and going down the hole and so on.

[@ahoosifoou4211]

hhhh lol the squirrel has a one night stand.

[@swefress]

Most animals usually has one night stands. Especially rodents.

[@murdechoc]

most are not even one night stand, more like 10 seconds stand ...

[@relictusimperator8647]

Then dinner.

[@notpulverman9660]

Nelson Pham I hate spiders!!!

[@phuang3]

In animal world, there is no love. They are driven by instinct, and do what they have to do.

[@antd8259]

That's got to be the most comfortable sleep ever. All snug and cozy in there. He actually looks like he is smiling.

[@mt2oo8]

When squirrels get laid but not me

[@JackIsNotInTheBox]

he got better game than you

[@amritpalsingh517]

lol! I was going to say the same thing!!

[@QRSC-fh2ob]

Lol!

[@sweiland75]

Nobody wants your nuts.

[@ladychrollo1277]

sweiland75 Ikr

[@inspectorkitty2595]

This squirrel is the definition of "5 more minutes mum!"

[@aniciawong7784]

They are so cute! Hope the Arctic wildlife and their habitat will always be preserved.

[@bornyesterday21]

He went to her place.

[@robertcalifornia702]

Can we just appreciate the effort put in to documenting this? Amazing!

[@isabellacrump103]

3:48 AWWWW The way they love on each other!!!!

[@deepar4010]

Wow! Showing the burrow of the squirrel is something very precious. Even if we put our head inside an empty burrow, the view of the burrow won't be so clear. And the sound of the squirrel's breath, oh god, such a rare thing and BBC Earth gave us an opportunity to have a look and experience of all that from our comfort zone. Thank you so much!

[@joejoseph3078]

I loved how cute they were while courting. He was all gentle and submissive and they touched and hugged. But you know when they went into that burrow there was some hair pulling and biting going on. But still, it was kinda cute.

[@suiloongyong7563]

Imagine sleeping for 8 months then waking up for action and the female says your breath stinks. Come again next year.

[@Tofu_Delivery_Boi]

The Arctic Squirrel teaches us a valuable lesson here. Don’t be afraid to shoot your shot, it’s now or never. Honestly, that’s something we could all learn from the little guy.

[@M.lizz1]

But women don't have a limited window for fertilization 😅

[@shishirgurung4427]

Alan, Alan, Alan, Alan.... Alan!!

[@evelyn_minou]

Shishir Gurung 😂 omg those funny animals videos

[@P41zuri]

Steve!!!!!

[@Martin-pb7ts]

Love AlanAlanAlan and Steve!!

[@thecommonsenseconservative5576]

Wait.. this isn't from the other guys

[@hoviksmail]

Bear: "We hybernate for a long time" Artic ground squirrel: "Hold my beer"

[@sbslm1]

Hold my nut

[@yasiem6245]

*burrow

[@FFS33]

Hold my dreams

[@Knappa22]

That nest was so cosy. Very appealing!

[@SinaZarin]

Narrator: he is pretty much stopped breathing. Squirrel: *breaths loudly*

[@edgara.4902]

😃🤣

[@DarkKnightTrinity]

I mean, comparing like 2 beats per minute to like 100 beats per minute ... big difference.

[@givanza1188]

Its amazing how a little squirrel sleeps more than a bear.

[@albinjsam1]

two words "HOW BEAUTIFUL"

[@MrFiddleedee]

"hes pretty much stopped breathing" *inhales and exhales sharply*

[@NolansAccount]

Man this guy sleeps 8 months a year and still gets more than me.

[@jpowers0009]

Lmao damn

[@Ticklish_stache]

Female: "Get in" Male: "umm.. i dunno." Female: "My parent's aren't home." Male: 3:54

[@Lucydabest]

¬.¬

[@Armmani2000]

Only hookups she says on her Tinder profile.

[@aky6884]

the way they jump is so funny and adorable

[@giorgikhutsishvili5044]

never seen anything cuter than arctic squirrels flirting

[@4KOOOR]

he is so happy :) i'm happy for him

[@deborahallen3318]

🐿️ That was a, come to my borrough moment! We've got a whole 12 hours! lol 😊

[@Shastasnow]

Awe those cute little face strokes x3 Adorable. These guys got life figured out.

[@Loiichi]

They’re so adorable!!!

[@YasinHasan]

exploring the world, filming cute animals with cutting edge technologies .. what an awesome job these guys have

[@CristopherCutas]

only fertile for once a year and only half a day?...

[@bitchhp2973]

Evolution needs to do this to humans....

[@overcookedwater1947]

THAT GIRL ;P yeah

[@freakfreak786]

no.

[@ijustpulledthetrigger5482]

@@bitchhp2973 oh yeah

[@panolete]

@III-GabeN-III more important, Will save lives of the unborn!!!

[@poppykok5]

BBC Earth...I'm so happy to have stumbled upon your channel some months back, as I thoroughly enjoy your beautifully filmed & fascinating videos...I've had a lifelong *PASSION* for Nature & wild animals, (actually...ALL animals) & I sincerely love seeing all species living in their natural habitat as Nature intended...

[@richgg2]

I wish I could sleep that long! I can't even get 8 hrs a night let alone 8 months! What a lucky little guy! I'm so envious!

[@Lightnings]

Absolutely impressive and beautiful!

[@lilliew1520]

I did not know there were arctic squirrels!

[@savagestatus]

DAMN! Fertile for 12 hrs a year! No wonder why they're fighting for her. You almost only get one shot.

[@pazoozoo4229]

Cutest thing ever.

[@badrikeshavamurthy1625]

How amazing is nature! Kudos to BBC earth, for this fantastic story.

[@Jothikana]

She was so annoyed with every line of her body. That was adorable. She was like “Excuse me, my biological clock is ticking!”

[@AmeliaFiend]

I wish I could sleep for 8 months--and sleep well, as I'll be out like a light. Squirrels living the dream.

[@maxpower1337]

Squirrels are beautiful.

[@user-xx7lc5rh8k]

How cute he is💗🐹

[@Navneetvaio]

Thats such a beautiful creature

[@wendyweger3115]

Gosh...I feel so blessed and grateful to all of you folks involved in putting these wonderful videos together...I have learned SO much from you....Many many thanks to all involved...I hope you have a wonderful Christmas even if in a tent somewhere making more incredible videos...you ARE greatly appreciated..hugs all around...OH I have a frog just came in the kitchen window..I think he will appreciate it more outside than in..rescue mission about to ensue..hahaha.love it! 45F good frog temp for now :)

[@Mr.lnsane]

baja un cambio, ¿sos editor?

[@truserunknown]

K

[@heidikang4210]

The nature is a miracle not a chaos, because it has an amazing logic patternised in life.

[@Raison_d-etre]

@@heidikang4210 Word salad.

[@jaidyngdr966]

why is your name wendy and not karen

[@thatguy1700]

I love the Alaskan spring. I love to wave as it passes by

[@paulwilson3434]

Lady squirrel ac·qui·es·cence was so cute. The romance in nature. These videos are just tremendous

[@TeaAtTwo2]

Given how 2020 has turned out, I'd be delighted to hibernate for 8 months.

[@balls5597]

haha same

[@jessebeeghly3608]

How do you sleep for 8 months that it nuts

[@cool_dude1988]

jesse beeghly it's not sleeping, it's hibernation, very different. You can't wake up easily during hibernation and it's a natural process that happens every year in some animals, they can't control it, cause it's a way to survive the cold winter when the food supply is extremely low. Your body force you to hibernate, you don't choose.

[@jessebeeghly3608]

F Bart I know it just seems crazy that you start off in basically a coma then you wake up 8 months later. I guess it's good that they don't have a sense of time.

[@Anfubvinch]

Yep, you do. Which is why they usually eat a lot of fat before hibernating. They usually come out pretty thin too.

[@ohsnapitzyen7885]

jesse beeghly are you a squirrel

[@heidikang4210]

Humans do have the state of REM in which one can never be able to wake up naturally by the cycle of dreaming state and the bodyclock that has a fixed time to make ourselves wake up at a certain point of time. It can vary person to person, depending on their daily cycles, schedules, jet-lag, habits, careers etc. Most of working ppl's brain release the sleeping hormones during the night, around 2-4'o clock in the morning. Once the body receives melatonin it has at least 3 hours' half-period to feel the fatigue is completely gone (you'll feel that before this hormone released your mind is sober when waking up and it doesn't feel like you have slept at all). I think the body clock for this animal is set for a much longer time because, most probably, the squirrel's brain keeps releasing sleeping hormones between certain intervals so that it helps them not to feel sober or to wake up during hibernation. I'm neither a biologist nor a vet, so I am not sure how exactly the sleeping cycle works for the immune systems of these little creatures, but sleeping pattern still interests me a lot.

[@copperfieldkhardewsaw4409]

The beauty of nature you can't imagine

[@Wumbobio]

How are they able to film him hibernating without disturbing him, also waiting for him to wake up

[@chaddrusso8850]

Jim Vecchio in the beginning of the video it says it’s a special “burrow camera” so either the burrow is part camera or they managed to sneak a camera in it I guess? Haha

[@rucebajer9361]

Maybe they put the camera in before he began hibernating and left it there until the summer. They got lucky and the squirrel slept right on screen. I don’t know. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@SparklyUnicornDesi]

Jim Vecchio idk about this situation specifically but when filming nature they use all kinds of weird equipment. They use tiny cameras on bendable poles, that could be what they did here

[@TheCamieman]

Or maybe the one they showed in the burrow isn't the same one above ground. Luckily with this technology called film you can chop lots of things together to make them look the same

[@RudraRasa]

Squirrel was a paid actor!!

[@TeaAtTwo2]

"I'm only fertile for 12 hours" "Ok" "You've got to fight those guys over there and woo me first before I'll let you impregnate me" "No pressure" "11 hours and 51 seconds left"

[@abobanger9054]

You forgot 59 mins, but nice one

[@casedistorted]

It’s like Rust Arctic Squirrel edition. He’s so cute when sleeping

[@harjindersingh6539]

Hello

[@chiennguyeninh8508]

The filming skills of BBC is so impressive!

[@melissakelley-2341]

Squirrels are cutest animals🥹😭😭

[@louisemichel9999]

Bonjour 🐕 .ce sont de magnifiques Animaux, il faut absolument les protéger et ne pas les chasser. Amitiés 🐕💓🐕

[@TheMGear1]

LIKE A LIGHT (AYY), SLEPT THROUGH THIS FLIGHT

[@InsideTheDogWorld]

This is the BEST channel on youtube!!

[@fiev]

When a good cinematography and a good story makes a good film

[@pepperonipizza8200]

Squirrel: *Sleeps for right months* Squirrel: *Checks Watch* Squirrel: "Oh shet"

[@carlosIvnM]

beautiful

[@jacobmartinez5089]

He gonna tear it up

[@esiuol_]

So cute. Thanks for recommending

[@orange3623]

i can't believe someone can dislike this..

[@etiennecouture1552]

Welcome to KZbin

[@artin74]

jooos did it.

[@CIARUNSITE]

In the two years since this post have you figured out sometimes you accidentally hit the thumbs down button when watching on your phone?

[@mortvald]

It was the rival male

[@whateverlol6682]

OUT LIKE A LIGHT AYEEE

[@ALC0A021]

I hope all these life forms remain Hale and hearty in this world 🙏

[@user-fw3wl6rv1v]

Ngl that burrow looks comfy as hell

[@PeterPetelski]

Thank you very much :-) ~ Stunning visuals !!! ~ Life is beautiful

[@Jerzyslonik]

+Peter Petelski beautiful film. .

[@PeterPetelski]

+Jerzyslonik Happy you like it *Jurek :-)* Thank you too

[@Jerzyslonik]

Peter Petelski happy new weekend Peter. :))) well best. :))) Hugs.

[@nugofgold9097]

whos peter?

[@sagenebula]

"out like a light for eight months straight" god I wish that were me

[@TruckTaxiMoveIt]

I like the way he presented himself, apparently so did she.

[@RohitKumar-yl4yw]

U guyz have done Very Hard Work.. Respect from india🇮🇳

[@user-qg1rv6jm5m]

Thank you very much BBC Earth. Would you please add an English subtitle for non-English speakers? In order so this video reaches to a wider range of people.

[@sharkfinbite]

F that. Just hire a dub narrator. Much more efficient and more direct. Don't give me the excuse the dub will suck. We disproved this claim years ago with current anime English dubs. Some have been known to literally flip an awful show into a great one thanks to allowing them more creative liberty or add more to the original content in a good way. They proved there's no excuse for making bad dubs now. You're just not hiring the right staff on board.

[@shoyhi]

Can u imagine the megastretch you would do after waking up from an 8 month nap.

[@badruddinmoiyyedi2506]

the best 4.16 minutes of my day...

[@user-xs1xf8kb6g]

So nice squirrel. Beautiful video!!!

[@stewiegriffin1671]

They about to get freaky in there😭😂😭💀

[@zackarysteven4355]

They showed this at school!

[@Cloudpup]

THAT"S SO ROMANTIC

[@aishwaryam.1324]

Regions vary.. But love remains the same.🥰

[@messageforediting4649]

i wish i could sleep through winter

[@code-dredd]

"Females emerge a few days later..." Just like in real life... why can't everyone just be on-time, every time? :|

[@ButterflyBandit88]

Sleep while the boys fight it out. No need to worry until morning when everything is sorted and they can pay attention to you.

[@lemonzest1492]

Can't we have one BBC video where men are't whining about women?

[@RealAlaska907]

Make no mistake, real men dont waste time on trivial matters much less try to understand women. We either sleep with one eye open or not.

[@biglloyd5870]

Lemon Zest lol are u offended... Because we wouldnt want you to be uncomfortable

[@JanetStarChild]

black magic753, don't be stupid. Lemon Zest is speaking truth; I see bitter boys whining about women on almost every video comments. And I say boys because even as adults, they will never grow up and be men.

[@bru-uh6868]

He looks so cozy

[@pooyazadeh5066]

I like it that they have separate bedrooms.

[@gabreiliusgen4519]

She will only be fertile for 12 hours, THERE'S NO TIME TO WASTE!

[@sizzla123]

Squirrels Are Wonderful But They Are Squirrelly. ~ Abraham Hicks

[@wowJhil]

So many can relate to this, wanting to sleep most of the time and once awake just do the most essential :D

[@paulubongen5238]

This is my spirit animal

[@RaymondLo84]

Oh please, get a room: 4:00 oh wait they got one... :D

[@user-nn5my1lc5q]

Damn squirrel has more swagger than I do.

[@alex.b.h]

2:55 I was expecting this little friend start yelling "Alan" 🤣

[@nerajthakurnerajkumar9020]

squirrel so cute