Torpor

Torpor

Torpor is a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually by a reduced body temperature and rate of metabolism. Torpor is used to enable animals to survive periods of reduced food availability. A torpor bout can refer to the period of time a hibernator spends at low body temperature, and last days to weeks, or it can refer to a period of low body temperature and metabolism lasting less than 24 hours, as in 'daily torpor'. Animals that undergo daily torpor include birds (even tiny hummingbirds, notably Cypselomorphae), and some mammals, including many marsupial species, rodent species such as mice, and bats. During the active part of their day, animals that undergo daily torpor maintain normal body temperature and activity levels, but their metabolic rate and body temperature drops during a portion of the day (usually night) to conserve energy. Torpor is often used to help animals survive during periods of colder temperatures, as it allows the organism to save the amount of energy that would normally be used to maintain a high body temperature.

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