The apparent dearth of winter wildlife in Denali is deceiving.
Many animals remain, eking out a living through special adaptations to the cold and snow.
Voles, lemmings, and shrews remain active in a world of tunnels and chambers hidden beneath the snow, while ptarmigan, snowshoe hares, and weasels seasonally camouflage themselves in white to escape detection. Winter is mating season for Dall sheep Another species that blends well with winter's white is the Dall sheep. Like many northern animals, the sheep's coat thickens in winter. Two to three inches deep, with coarse, hollow hairs that help to trap warmth, the fur is ideally suited for extreme cold and high winds. This enables sheep to survive on the high, windswept ridges where grasses and other low-growing tundra plants stay exposed.