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Why do some desert animals enter estivation during summer?

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The image shows a group of Virginia big-eared bats sleeping upside down in a dark cavern. — Dormancy Virginia big-eared bats (*Corynorhinus townsendii virginianushibernating*) are true hibernators, entering a state close to death for much of the winter.

Some desert animals enter estivation during the summer as a survival strategy to escape adverse environmental conditions, specifically extreme heat, drought, and the resulting scarcity of food and water.123

By entering this state of dormancy, these animals—which include various species of snakes, lizards, and land snails—are able to reduce their metabolic activity. This physiological adjustment allows them to conserve energy and minimize the need for resources that are unavailable during the hot, barren summer months. While some species simply remain in a state of prolonged rest within a favorable microhabitat, such as a cool, moist burrow, others actively regulate their metabolism to endure the stress of the environment until more favorable conditions return.1432