within the same temperature ranges. The true difference
between these two types is that the cold blooded ectotherms
have a limited ability to metabolically generate or dissipate
heat, and therefore depend on their ambient temperature to
either warm them up or cool them down. Warm blooded
endotherms are capable of maintaining a steady balance in
body temperature through their own metabolism. But most
species, irrespective of how they balance their temperature,
will function best at around the same temperature range
To take a human as an example, a healthy body
temperature is 37°C.
Death will occur when the body temperature reaches
its upper lethal limit of around 42°C. Hyperthermia can be
defined as an elevation in body temperature when the body’s
thermoregulatory processes break down and it produces or
absorbs more heat than it can dissipate. This then becomes
a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment to
prevent disability or death. Heat stroke, the primary cause
from ambient conditions, is an acute temperature elevation
caused by exposure to excessive heat, or a combination
of heat and humidity, that the body’s thermoregulatory
mechanisms are not able to deal with.
Most of us will prefer to stalk in the early morning,
and have a respite during the mid-day heat. While the
afternoons are also usually prime hunting times as the bush
becomes co