Winter has arrived in New Jersey, but it hardly feels like it.
You may not be able to find Santa or Rudolph on Christmas Eve, but plenty of other animals will be frolicking about around Christmas time this year.
Experts say the warmer weather is causing some animals that normally would have hidden away for the winter to stick around.
"Some animals are still active because it hasn't gotten very cold yet," Emile DeVito, manager of science for the NJ Conservation Foundation, said. "Animals that normally would be very inactive by now are still active."
Winter has arrived in New Jersey, but it hardly feels like it. Temperatures could reach record highs in the 70s on Christmas Eve.
Mammals that den up will be milling around the neighborhood more frequently gathering food. Migratory birds will hang around a bit longer. Reptiles may venture out for a few hours to warm up, according to wildlife officials.
Water fowl don't need as many calories in warmer weather, which could improve winter survival rates.
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For wildlife such as bears, warmer temperatures could postpone hibernation.
"Things are just a little easier," DeVito said. "Instead of holing up in their dens burning away their stored fat, they're able to continue to find food so they'll have better survivorship in the wintertime."
Overall, DeVito expects impacts to be short-term. Some animals will remain active for longer, and have an easier time surviving the winter.
Going through the hard winter isn't necessarily a bad thing, DeVito said. It culls the weak members of a species, which might make it stronger long-term.
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The impact on the environment overall shouldn't be too damaging, DeVito said. For example, it won't push any rare species into extinction.
"A warm winter is not going to overcome the reason that they're becoming rare," DeVito said. "It only impacts common, everyday backyard species in terms of what we see, how often we see them. But it's not of any important conservation interest."
Check our gallery for more on how the weather affects various New Jersey species.
Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.