Adaptations of endotherms to cold environment.

Adaptations of endotherms to cold environment.

• The animals develop large volume to surface ratio. i.e. the extremities such as ear tend to be small and the animals tend to be larger.
• Animals in cold environment have thicker subcutaneous fat.
• Animal in cold environment tend to have heavy fur or hairs.
• Animals in cold environment develop high metabolic rates.
• Reduced extremities to reduce the surface area for heat loss.
• Animals in cold environment develop arteries and veins in close proximity, such that as blood flows down the arteries, heat energy passes from it to the much cooler blood which is returning in the opposite direction in the veins. The counter current heat exchange system is seen in flippers of dolphins and the legs of ducks, both of which are highly happen to be in cold water.  It achieves two things.  First it means that the arterial blood has already been cooled by the time it reaches the end of the limb, so that relatively little heat energy is lost to the surrounding.  Secondly it warms the venous blood before it gets back to the main part of the body.

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