Estivate (Verb)
Meaning
Sleep during summer; "certain animals estivate".
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
Examples
- Some species of turtles estivate during the hot dry summer months to conserve energy and water.
- African lungfish estivate in a state of dormancy to survive the dry season.
- Certain animals estivate to reduce moisture loss through their skin.
- Desert tortoises estivate by sealing themselves in underground burrows to protect themselves from dehydration.
- To avoid heat stress, some reptiles and amphibians estivate in a state of torpor during the hottest time of the year.