September is a good month for mammals with their being plenty of food on offer before autumn gives way to winter.

Very few of our mammals hibernate so how do they cope with ice, frost and snow?

Mammals, including us, keep a constant blood temperature whatever the temperature might be outside.

We are not very hairy so we wear summer clothes and winter clothes. Wild mammals compensate for the changes by moulting their fur so that they have a summer coat and a winter coat.

Fallon Deer have more spots on the summer coat whilst the winter fur is much dendser and thicker.

The otter has the extra problem of keeping water from penetrating the fur. It has a ‘carpet’ of small hairs with a covering of longer hairs.

Those who are lucky enough to see an otter swimming will see a trail of bubbles as a ir is pressed out of the fur to keep the water proofing intact.

Those of us with pets will notice that our dogs and even cats have regular moulting periods.

I never cease to be amazed at how nature is able to adapt to all weather conditions.