Watch These Painted Turtles Defrost Their Way Back to Life

Have you ever wondered how reptiles and amphibians can survive in places where it freezes in winter? We have, and hadn’t been able to picture it, until now. 🐢

BBC shows us amazing footage of painted turtles huddled together in the snow and ice, slowly waking up from their winter hibernation. Nearly all activity in their bodies stop during this ‘frozen phase’, aside from low-level brain activity.

When the ice and snow begin to melt, the turtles slowly start beating their hearts again, and awake from their frozen slumber. Seeing it feels somewhat magical.

Check out the video clip from Frozen Planet II below.