Longest hibernation for a mammal

In October 2007, University of New England (Australia) zoologist Dr Fritz Geiser announced a new world record for the sleepiest mammal – featuring an Australian eastern pygmy possum (Cercartetus nanus) in his laboratory at Arndale, New South Wales, Australia. After an extensive feed, the possum curled up and hibernated for a record-breaking 367 days, the first time any mammal has been known to hibernate non-stop for more than a year. During its marathon sleep, the possum used just one fortieth of the energy that it uses when awake. Prior to this new record, the record holder had been a western jumping mouse (Zapus princeps) that had once hibernated for 320 days in a laboratory.