At first Johnson thought there was something wrong with his data. Why would males choose to winter in a frigid area where food is scarce? He realized there could be only one reason: “Because they want to be first back to their burrows! Their strategy is, ‘If I can survive in the north, I get to be first back. And if I’m first back, I get dibs on the best burrow and the best territory.’ For a male, real estate is worth putting your life on the line.”
