Prelims 2014 · archive
EasyConsider the following:
- 1.Bats
- 2.Bears
- 3.Rodents
The phenomenon of hibernation can be observed in which of the above kinds of animals?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) 1, 2 and 3
Hibernation is a long winter dormancy found in many mammals. Bats, bears and rodents all include hibernating species, so all three kinds of animals qualify.
- ✓ 1. Many bats survive winter by hibernating, usually in caves or mines. The US National Park Service names hibernation and migration as the two main winter strategies of bats.
- ✓ 2. Many bears spend months in a winter sleep, living on fat stored under the skin. NCERT describes this months-long winter sleep (hibernation) for polar bears.
- ✓ 3. Several rodents hibernate. The yellow-bellied marmot, a rodent, hibernates for about eight months a year. Ground squirrels and dormice are other examples.
- ✗ (a) This leaves out rodents, though marmots and ground squirrels are well-known hibernators.
- ✗ (b) Bears are not the only hibernators here; bats and rodents such as marmots also hibernate.
- ✗ (d) Hibernation is well documented in all three groups, so this option is wrong.
Remember · Hibernation (winter dormancy) occurs in bats, bears and many rodents such as marmots. Aestivation is the summer counterpart, seen in snails, lungfish and some amphibians.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 6 Curiosity, Ch 3
Sources
- NCERT Class 6 · Curiosity, Chapter 3 “Polar bears accumulate a lot of fat under their skin. This fat serves as an energy source. It supports them during their months- long winter sleep (hibernation)”
- US National Park Service – All About Bats ↗ “Bats use two main strategies to survive winter: hibernation or migration.”
- US National Park Service – Yellowstone Mammals ↗ “Yellow-bellied Marmot Rodents that hibernate for eight months and are seen climbing around rocks.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2014, General Studies paper. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·