Surviving in extremely cold weather is a serious challenge, and one that requires careful preparation. This is true for both humans and other members of the animal kingdom. While man has adapted to start fires and don layers of warm clothes, animals have developed other ways of staying alive during the cold season. By studying these adaptations, we can consider new ways to adjust our own winter survival strategies.

The following infographic from Alan's Factory Outlet shows how animals survive the winter, with 34 individual examples. Some of these can't be imitated by humans, while others are surprisingly similar to what we already do in cold weather. Click here to download a full-size version of this infographic.

So, what can we learn from these survival strategies?

• Migrating to a warmer environment is always a good plan, assuming you can afford a summer home on the beach somewhere.
• Adding layers of insulation is an effective way to retain body heat, so prepare additional garments and stow them for cold weather.
• Building an improvised burrow shelter can help you escape the elements.
• If possible, hibernate to conserve warmth — ideally indoors, next to a warm fire with a hot beverage and a good book.
• Although you can't expand your brain like the chickadee, you can still plan and catalog your supplies to be better prepared for winter.

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Written by Patrick McCarthy