Hibernation is an extreme resting state where the body's processes slow to the bare minimum.

Like bears, bees and many other animals, the fat-tailed dwarf lemur goes into this state of 'suspended animation' for the winter.

Researchers in the United States are studying this process in these little lemurs to see if this could actually help humans, as Lizzie Crouch reports from North Carolina.

Filmed by Colm O'Molloy