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19 October 2026
What would happen if a frog spent the winter frozen solid? For the wood frog of North America, this is not a fantasy. It is a remarkable part of survival.
When temperatures fall, the frog can tolerate the freezing of much of the water in its body. Its heart stops beating, breathing ceases, and it appears lifeless. Yet specialised adaptations help protect its cells from the damage that ice would otherwise cause.
As freezing begins, the frog’s body moves water out of its cells, while glucose released from stored energy acts as a natural cryoprotectant. This helps reduce the harm caused by ice formation. The frog does not remain frozen indefinitely; when temperatures rise in spring, its body gradually thaws and its heart begins beating again.
The process is not without limits. The frog must experience suitable conditions, and surviving repeated freezing depends on how severe and prolonged the cold becomes.
For an animal that cannot escape winter simply by travelling somewhere warmer, this adaptation is extraordinary. Instead of fighting every change in its surroundings, the wood frog has evolved a way to endure conditions that would be fatal to many other creatures.
The next time winter seems to bring the natural world to a standstill, remember that some lives have not ended or disappeared. They are waiting for the conditions that will allow them to begin again.
Rajat Chandra Sarmah, Guwahati, Assam, India, Instagram @rajatchandrasarmah, YouTube: conversewithasmile, email rajatchandrasarmah@gmail.com
