What Is Meant By Cold-Blooded And Warm-Blooded Animals?

Warm-blooded animals generate their own body heat, whereas cold-blooded animals take on the temperature of their surroundings.

Warm-Blooded Animals
Warm-blooded animals try to keep their bodies at a constant temperature.

If their surroundings are cold, they will try to heat themselves, and if their surroundings are warm, then they will try to cool themselves.

A warm-blooded animal needs to consume a lot more food than a cold-blooded animal, as this food is converted into energy to fuel their body temperature.

All mammals and birds are warm-blooded.

Cold-Blooded Animals
Cold-blooded animals include:

• Frogs
• Toads
• Fish
• Geckos
• Crocodiles
• Chameleons
• Snakes

Cold-blooded animals are hot when their surroundings are hot, and cold when their surroundings are cold.  They are much more active in warmer environments, and can become sluggish in colder environments.

• Ectotherm is the term used to describe cold-blooded, and means an animal that is dependent on external sources of body heat.

• Endotherm is the term used to describe warm-blooded, and means an animal that can generate internal heat.