The typical hibernation den for a lizard would consist of an abandoned animal burrow. Like snakes, they are ectothermic (cold-blooded), and typically seek out these underground burrows as an energy-efficient way of retaining body heat through the long cold winters.

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This behavior is not limited to Michigan’s state reptile, the Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis). Lizards and snakes of all types use these animal burrows for winter hibernation elsewhere in the country as well.

The alternative option for a lizard during the winter is certain death! This is because our local herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) rely on forest habitats that depend on warmth generated by sunlight reaching into woodland areas that we typically associate with warm summer days. These forests warm up quickly in the spring when leaves and flowers appear overpowering the tasks of winter, but forest temperatures cool off rapidly once plants lose their green color and sunlight diminishes.

So our lizard friends must find a place to hide from predators, maintain body heat for survival, yet live through the long Michigan winters without freezing to death! Burrows provide this perfect solution. The animal that used it before has dug a tunnel into a bank or hillside that stays relatively warm year-round because of its insulation effects. And since burrows are occupied by hibernating animals all season long, they also provide protection from predators—there’s no way your typical carnivore is going to dig through multiple feet of frozen soil for fun!

Most burrows are built by mammals, but lizards will sometimes use them as well. And some lizards actually construct their own burrow—the American Alligator Lizard is one of Michigan’s species that do this. This species digs itself deep into the soil for protection, often blocking its entrance with vegetation or rocks to keep predators at bay while it goes through winters below ground.

These resting places provide vital shelter during our long winter months and are an irreplaceable resource to our animal friends that can’t move south for the winter. We may not get more than a few weeks of sub-freezing temperatures here in southeastern Michigan, but animals’ ability to survive through these harsh conditions is monitored closely each year up north where animals like the polar bear struggle to make it through the winter.

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