Gut microbes help some squirrels stay strong during hibernation
The microbes recycle nitrogen into an amino acid that squirrels can use to preserve muscle
![a thirteen-lined ground squirrel curled up into a tight ball](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/012722_eg_hibernating-squirrels_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
During hibernation, gut microbes of thirteen-lined ground squirrels (one shown) help the critters hold on to muscle by turning excess nitrogen into muscle’s building blocks.
Robert Streiffer