Homeostasis
Warm-blooded animals, such as mammals, maintain a relatively consistent internal temperature. To do so, the animals produce their own body heat through the processing of energy, known as metabolism. They also cool themselves through sweating, releasing heat to maintain a consistent temperature when in warmer environments. The maintenance of this constant body state is known as homeostasis.
Warm-Blooded Versus Cold-Blooded
While warm-blooded animals such as humans, bears, eagles and dogs maintain a stable body temperature, cold-blooded animals such as reptiles change body temperatures depending on their environment. Accordingly, in cooler environments, the body temperature of the cold-blooded animals drops; when in warmer climates, their internal temperature rises. However, in cooler environments, cold-blooded animals slow down their rate and level of activity, given that they produce energy more slowly in such an environment.
Advantage of Being Warm-Blooded
Perhaps the most significant advantage that warm-blooded animals have is that they are able to maintain a stable and consistent level of activity regardless of the temperature of their environment, since their bodies will maintain a stable internal temperature and level of energy. This means that more environments are conducive to warm-blooded animal life and that these animals are able to hunt, eat and work in habitats in almost any place on Earth.
The Margins of Warm-Blooded
Since the term "warm-blooded" is somewhat ambiguous, not all animals fit neatly into the category. Bats are one such example. While bats are mammals, they do not maintain a consistent body temperature. Mole rats are similar to bats, but while their bodies do not maintain a consistent temperature, their environment does -- since they live underground. And some animals, such as bears and gophers, hibernate during the winter. During this time their body temperatures drop significantly, up to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.