As winter approaches in New England, we prepare ourselves by cranking up the heater or layering ourselves in heavy coats before stepping outside. While people would eventually freeze  without these protections, wild animals live outdoors in the same brutal cold and rely on natural adaptations like thick fur, hidden food stores, slowed metabolisms and finely tuned behaviors. As harsh as winter seems, it does reveal some of the most impressive survival adaptations in nature, so here are the top 5 New England animals that are most adaptive to winter. This list does not include any microbial organisms, aquatic or semi-aquatic animals or arthropods.

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Eastern gray squirrels prepare for winter by spending most of fall collecting as much food as they can, which is also why it’s not recommended to feed wild squirrels—it distracts them from working on stockpiling. As winter approaches, they bury thousands of acorns and nuts in many different areas in a behavior called “scatter-hoarding,” preventing the potential disaster of losing everything at once. Months later, they use memory and scent to find them, even under deep snow. When it gets cold, their fur also grows thicker, and they sleep inside tree holes or leaf nests called dreys to stay warm. Their bushy tails also act like insulated blankets when they curl up tightly to hold in heat during sleep. Despite their small size, squirrels are some of the toughest survivors in the New England environment thanks to their strategy of stockpiling food.

Red Fox

Red foxes are incredibly cunning and adaptive predators who rely on pouncing to catch their prey, as well as their superior hearing to locate and secure rodents moving beneath the surface. Foxes are actually omnivores, with a flexible diet that ranges from small animals to fruits and nuts. Their paws are also covered in an unusually thick layer of fur, efficiently limiting heat loss in the deep snow. Similar to squirrels, the fox also stores extra food when it is abundant, yet it still uses extensive energy staying active all winter, which is why it’s not as high on the list as the first spot.

Snowshoe Hare

Though lacking major defenses, the snowshoe hare is one of the most prominent examples of winter adaptation: its fur changes color with the seasons, turning from brown in the warmer seasons to white in winter to blend into the snow. Its feet are large and, similar to the fox’s, covered in thick fur, working like natural snowshoes that spread its weight and keep it from sinking. Instead of hibernating, snowshoe hares stay active all winter, feeding on twigs, bark, and evergreen needles while relying on their camouflage and speed to evade predators like owls and lynx.

White-Tailed Deer

It might seem off that a deer would come out as a top winter specialist, but the white-tailed deer’s survival strategies are surprisingly effective and sophisticated. The white-tailed deer has fur made out of hollow hairs that trap warm air, acting as a natural insulation to keep heat in. Additionally, as fresh plants die out, the deer slow down their metabolism and reduce movement to conserve energy. To help with food scarcity, they switch their diet from fresh plant matter like grass and shrubs to things like twigs, bark and buds. In northern regions, they gather in sheltered “deer yards,” which are protected areas that offer easier travel and protection from the harsh winds.

American Black Bear

The American black bear is New England’s ultimate weather-beaten survivor, though they are kind of cheating by sleeping all winter. Their thick fur and insulated dens protect them from subzero temperatures as they prepare for the cold months. Contrary to common beliefs, bears are not true hibernators—they enter torpor, ​​a state of reduced physiological activity. More specifically, hibernation is actually a more intense form of torpor, and bear torpor is not extreme enough to fully qualify. They rely on stored body fat for energy and even recycle body fluids. They can also wake occasionally, whether for a quick change of position, going out if it’s unexpectedly warm outside or if they just want a quick snack. Pregnant females also give birth during a less intense form of torpor, meaning the bear feels less pain and the cubs spend their entire first winter inside the den—a feat that serves as the cherry on top on why the black bear deserves to be placed at the top of this list.