Ls. Broome et F. Geiser, HIBERNATION IN FREE-LIVING MOUNTAIN PYGMY-POSSUMS, BURRAMYS PARVUS (MARSUPIALIA, BURRAMYIDAE), Australian journal of zoology, 43(4), 1995, pp. 373-379
The long-term pattern of hibernation was studied in free-living mounta
in pygmy-possums, Burramys parvus, using temperature-sensitive radio-c
ollars. Most males and females began to hibernate in early June within
one week of their release. Hibernation was interrupted by spontaneous
arousals that were followed by short normothermic periods and re-entr
y into torpor. The duration of multiday torpor bouts averaged 8 . 0 da
ys (range 3-17 days) and arousal periods averaged 19 . 1 h. Single-day
torpor bouts were observed occasionally. The duration of torpor bouts
lengthened with the progress of the hibernation season and normotherm
ic periods became shorter. The pattern of hibernation in free-living B
. parvus was similar to that of captive individuals maintained under t
emperature regimes that were similar to those in the wild.