Seasonal acclimatization determined by non‐invasive measurements of coat insulation

Seasonal acclimatization in terrestrial mammals in the Northern Hemisphere involves changes in coat insulation. It is more economical to provide increased insulation than increased heat production for protection against the cold. This study was done to test a technique for the non‐invasive measurement of mammal coat insulation and to measure coat insulation over several seasons on captive exotics. The working hypothesis was that species that have no coat or have a coat that does not change seasonally do not acclimatize seasonally. Three surface temperature readings were measured from the torso area. The insulation was calculated using measured metabolic rates and body temperature when possible. The African elephants, giraffe and okapi did not acclimatize with average maximum insulation values of 0.256°Cm 2  W −1 . The Amur tigers and mountain goats acclimatized to seasonal ambient conditions by increasing the insulation values of the hair coats in the cold with an average maximum insulation values of 0.811°Cm 2  W −1 . The cold adapted species are more than three times more insulated in the cold than the equatorial species. The husbandry implications of exotics that have no ability to acclimatize to Northern Hemisphere seasonal ambient changes are profound. Giraffe, African elephants, and okapi when exposed to cold conditions with ambient air temperatures below 21°C will use body energy reserves to maintain a heat balance and will require housing that provides ambient conditions of 21°C. Zoo Biol. 34:368–373, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals Inc.