This winter, animals across the Interior will survive the extreme cold and darkness of the arctic. From hibernating bears to arctic ground squirrels with body temperatures near zero and frozen wood frogs, this exhibit explores the winter survival strategies of Interior Alaska animals.
 

Wood frogs are the only amphibian that live in Interior Alaska. That means they must adapt to the severe conditions of winter here. When the frost line goes down, they freeze. Their blood becomes ice, their heart stops, their eyes become solid. They stay that way for six months. In the spring, as the soil begins to melt around them, they thaw and hop away.