Animal survival also depends on how deep the snow is. Large animals, such as the red fox, can move easily through a few inches of snow. However, as the snow gets deeper, the travel becomes tougher and tougher. Deep snow is not always a curse, however. Rabbits are light enough to walk on top of the snow, bringing them closer to tasty branches and buds that were out of reach before.
Some animals change their physical appearance to prepare for winter.
The long-tailed weasel changes from brown to a lighter color or even white, allowing it to hide in the snow. The grouse is an odd bird that grows warty extensions on the sides of its toes, enabling it to walk on top of the snow as if it were wearing snow shoes. Grouse also will dive into snow banks to escape the cold. Although snow can make life difficult for predators in search of prey and cover up the food of hungry birds, the magical white stuff also keeps many animals from freezing and protects them from hungry enemies. In fact, no snow at all can be the most dangerous of all for hibernating animals and dormant plants.