Experts describe it as 'chaos' as animal behavior has begun to change: 'We don't really know'

As winters continue to get warmer, stay ready for some unexpected and unwanted guests during the early months on the calendar. In recent years, experts have noticed that increased temperatures are throwing traditionally predictable animal patterns into chaos. 

What's happening?

According to WCAX 3, the Vermont Department of Health found that winters in the state have increased by four degrees over the last half-century. With early 2025 forecasts looking mild once again in the Green Mountain State, scientists are attributing the changing behavior of their local wildlife to these sustained shifts in climate.

"It's kind of just chaos," said Mya Wiles, an educator at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science who tends to wounded birds. "A lot of the research highlights that there's a lot of different effects, and we don't really know what the total outcome might be."

According to Wiles, increased winter temperatures alter migration patterns, which can alter local ecosystems and food chains for the entire season. 

"That means there's a lot more competition for the birds or the raptors that are here all winter long, and normally don't have to compete for those prey in the winter. So, it definitely would throw things off balance."

Why are changing animal behaviors important?

As mentioned, perhaps most critical is the way in which these changes could disrupt local ecosystems. Animals that typically feast in winter months may not thrive anymore, given the increased competition from those staying put, potentially bringing them closer to eradication.

Warmer winters can disrupt torpor, a period of involuntary hibernation when animals conserve energy. This could cause animals to leave their typical hideaways for cooler spaces, which may have a trickle-down effect on humans as well.

"We'll get a lot of phone calls that bats are showing up in buildings when we've had a drastic drop in temperature because those temperature swings are so huge," said Alyssa Bennett, a small mammals biologist with Vermont Fish and Wildlife, per WCAX 3. 

What's being done about these behavioral changes?

There is not a definitive endpoint to this phenomenon. If the upward trajectory of temperatures continues, animals will likely continue to respond in unusual ways. 

One NASA article concludes that monitoring affected populations can aid in effectively adapting conservation policies. And since pollution from dirty fuels is the primary cause of rising global temperatures, adopting clean-energy solutions like wind, solar, or geothermal power can help restore the planet's equilibrium in the long term. 

Microsoft and Google are among the major corporations investing in non-polluting or low-carbon energy. You can get in on the action by signing up for community solar or installing your own solar panel systems with battery storage, boosting your home's climate resilience amid extreme weather while lowering your utility bills.