Winter storms have battered the US this week, and many animals are struggling in the cold.<br />The cold-blooded alligator, though, is getting through the week with an unusual method of survival.<br />This week, an employee at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation posted photos of alligators frozen in water. A grim scene, maybe - if their snouts weren't sticking out.<br />It's called "icing," and it's how alligators breathe when submerged in freezing temperatures.<br />While they may look dead in photos, they're surviving - and in the middle of a fight of their lives.<br />The "icing" response is tied to brumation, which is basically the reptile version of a mammal's hibernation.<br />By lowering their metabolic rates, becoming lethargic and keeping their snouts above water, alligators are able to survive brief periods of freezing weather.<br />As cold-blooded reptiles, alligators rely on their external environments for temperature regulation, which means cold weather is not conducive to their survival.<br />The gators won't freeze if the water stays liquid. Their snouts are just cartilage so freezing doesn't hurt their snouts . They can still move and are aware of things.<br />
