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Category Wildlife

How do birds protect themselves from predators?

Birds are not too far behind mammals when it comes to smelly arsenals.

The green wood hoopoe of Africa pointedly lifts its tail at attackers and releases a foul fart smelling of rotten eggs. Its young take it a step further. They let their (liquid) faeces fly at the same time.

The babies of its next-of-kin, the Eurasian hoopoe, can fire-faecal-like fluid bullets to more than 60 cm.

Fulmars are seabirds that eat anything, from fish to rubbish. That gives the yellow vomit their chicks shoot out its distinctive bouquet. Adult fulmars simply spit stomach oil at intruders.

Smelling bad not only earns these birds the respect of their enemies but also keeps their skin and feathers free of pests. A study found 17 anti-microbial compounds in the wood hoopoe’s excreta.

 

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How do insects protect themselves from predators?

Insects have their very own cornucopia of odours, some of them toxic.

Millipedes secrete a smelly, caustic liquid to make themselves unpalatable. The liquid can burn the skin and eyes. In some species, the liquid contains hydrogen cyanide, a poison that is strong enough to kill a mouse. Lemurs and capuchin monkeys have been observed rubbing millipedes on their skin to get rid of parasites!

The bombardier beetle gets its name from the hot, lethal chemical spray that it shoots out from the tip of its abdomen. The beetle stores two chemicals in separate compartments. When it releases them, they react together, heating up to almost boiling point. The beetle sprays in a rhythmic ‘machine gun’ mode to prevent overheating.

 

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Which are the creatures that are malodorous?

There are some creatures that don’t use smell as active defence but are still malodorous because of the food they eat or the parasites they carry around.

Slow-moving sloths are colonized not only by green algae, but by beetles, moths and mites. These ‘residents’ make the sloth one of the worst-smelling animals on the planet.

Scarab beetles – up to a thousand have been found on a single sloth – live in the fur near their elbows and behind their knees, and the beetle larvae feed on their dung. Three species of mites dwell inside its bottom. Moths crawl around in the fur, feeding on secretions in the skin and the algae.

The hoatzin of the Amazon rainforest is called the stink bird. It gives off the smell of manure because it is the only bird in the world that lives almost exclusively on leaves. The leaves ferment in its stomach, leading to extremely smelly gases.

The sperm whale is another accidental stink bomb. It feeds on giant squid. The squid’s beak can piece the whale’s intestines so it excretes a waxy goo mixed with rotting squid called ‘ambergris’ to protect itself. Ironically the whale’s poop, like the musk deer’s musk, costs the earth because it is used as a base in expensive perfumes!

 

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Why Skunks evolved their smelly spray?

The most notorious of all stink bombing critters is the skunk. It is a striking black-and-white animal found only in America (the stink badger found in a few Southeast Asian islands is a relative). It can afford to strut about in a natty suit because it has a not-so-secret weapon.

It pays not to get within 2 metres (10 feet) of a skunk. That’s the distance it can spray an incredibly evil-smelling oily liquid from scent glands in its backside right into your face. Skunk spray is full of sulphur-containing chemicals that temporarily blind you and make you choke. The smell is very difficult to get rid of.

Predators avoid skunks like the plague allowing it to go peacefully about its nocturnal foraging even though it stands out like a beacon.

 

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Do animal mothers love their babies?

Jumbo bundle of joy

She has the longest pregnancy among mammals – around 22 months. And she also gives birth to the largest baby on land, weighing an average of almost 90 kilos! The female elephant lives for about 60 to 70 years but will only have four offspring during that time.

The baby is born blind and has to rely on its sensitive trunk to find its way about. However, because elephants have a matriarchal society with the oldest female leading the herd, the ‘sisterhood’ lends a hand in caring for the baby. All the females, including grandmothers, sisters, aunts and cousins, help the new mother bring up baby! Young females who are not yet fully mature, are the keenest to mother the calf. They are known as ‘allomothers’.

This kind of babysitting is not only of benefit to the new mothers, who get more time to feed and rest, but it also gives future mothers a chance to practise their skills.

Home sweet home

The orangutan, one of the most intelligent primates in the animal world, spends nearly all its time in the trees. The female orang builds a new nest every night from branches and leaves. She creates more than 30,000 homes during her lifetime! She never puts her babies down and nurses them till they are six or seven years old. She rears them alone. That is the longest dependence of any animal on Earth.

Smelly gift

Koalas, the Australian marsupials that look like cute teddy bears, live exclusively on a diet of eucalyptus leaves. The leaves are toxic, but the koala’s digestive tract is inhabited by bacteria that ingest the poison rendering it harmless.

A koala joey is the size of a jellybean when it is born. Though it has no hair, no ears and is blind, it manages to crawl into its mother’s pouch. The female koala can zip and unzip her pouch using special muscles. The joey remains in the pouch for around six months till it finishes its development. Mother koala feeds it with milk and her own faeces to build up its immunity.

Pass me an arm!

Among marine animals, the female octopus is literally well-armed for the task of mothering! With 50,000 eggs to care for, her hands are full. For 40 days, she stays close to the eggs, protecting them and gently blowing water over them to provide oxygen. She doesn’t get time to feed so she just grabs a bite from her own arms!

Dragon moms

Both alligators and crocodiles dig a hole to lay their 10-50 eggs and build a mound-like nest out of rotting vegetation over it. The nest is like a compost pit, hot enough to incubate the eggs. The temperature determines the gender of the babies – 33 degree C and higher produces males and 28 degree C and lower produces females!

The female stands guard and she can be very aggressive at this time. When the hatchlings are ready to be born, they call out. The mother exposes the nest and gently rolls the eggs in her mouth to crack the shells! After they hatch, she carries them to the water where they start hunting immediately, but stay around her for two years.

Lousy life

The female sea louse is probably the best mom in the world because she sacrifices her life for her children. She’s lured by the male into his burrow where he keeps a harem of 25 or more pregnant females! If that wasn’t bad enough, once the babies are ready to be born, they make their way into the world by eating their mother from the inside out.

 

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Is wildlife in danger?

Many of us have a favourite wild animal, such as a tiger or bear.

But did you know that many wild animals and plants are now rare? Some may soon die out.

People are causing this problem. We hunt animals and destroy wild places.

Luckily, some groups are working to save rare plants and animals. We can all help.

Bison and many butterflies are rarer than they used to be.

Extinct animals and plants are ones that have died out altogether. Wildlife that is very rare is called endangered.

Endangered animals may be large like a bison, or small creatures like a butterfly. Hunters almost wiped out the bison. Many butterflies are threatened by global warming as well as by people destroying the wild places where they live.

Dinosaurs died out long ago.

A species is a particular type of plant or animal, such as the American bison. Extinction is when all the animal or plants of one type die out, so that none are left.

In the past, many species have died out, often because they couldn’t cope with natural changes. The dinosaurs probably died out after a meteorite struck Earth and made conditions change very quickly. Now global warming is making conditions change quickly, too.

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How we can help the wildlife which is currently in danger?

We must do more to protect nature. Experts say thousands of plants and animals may die out in the next fifty years or so.

Loss of wild habitats, global warming and pollution are all big problems in many places.

People all over the world are now working hard to save rare species. But it can only work if we all help.

Conservation groups help to save rare species such as whales.

Campaign groups such as the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) have helped to save many rare species. Greenpeace helped to convince many countries to ban whaling, in order to save whales from extinction.

Everyone can help with conservation work by joining a wildlife organisation. You could take part in a sponsored walk to raise money for your favourite animal.

In China, people are working to save pandas.

In China, giant pandas are in danger of dying out because of loss of their forest habitat. Only 1,000 of these animals remain.

Twelve forest reserves have been set up to save pandas in the wild. Zoos have also managed to breed baby pandas from captive animals. Captive breeding projects like this are very expensive, so they can only help to save a few species.

A ban on hunting protects this beautiful butterfly.

In the 1970s, many governments signed an agreement called the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

CITES bans trade in most wild animals including this birdwing butterfly. Sadly the profits that can be made from wildlife are big and many people ignore the law.

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Which unwanted visitors are endangering wildlife?

When people bring new species into a habitat, they can threaten local plants and animals.

The new plants and animals can also cause big changes in their new habitat.

Plant-eaters take the food of local animals, while new hunters kill local wildlife.

People brought mongooses to hunt rats, but they became pests.

People have brought new animal hunters to many areas. Mongooses were introduced to Puerto Rico to hunt rats. But they soon threatened local snakes and spread the disease rabies to other animals on the island.

Rabbits brought to Australia nibble pastures bare.

New wildlife brought to Australia caused great changes there. Some of the newcomers took over from local species.

European settlers released rabbits in Australia. The new arrivals bred quickly and became pests, stripping grasslands bare. This left nothing for local species. Rabbits are now killed as pests.

Water hyacinth is now a pest on many waterways.

New plants as well as animals can become pests when they thrive in their new homes.

In the 19th century, a pretty plant called the water hyacinth from South America was released in lakes and ponds in North America, Africa and Asia. It spread quickly and now completely chokes waterways in many areas.

Hedgehogs brought to the Hebrides steal birds’ eggs.

Animals of remote islands are particularly threatened by new predators because they are often not used to being hunted.

On the lonely Hebrides Islands in Scotland, local seabirds are threatened by hedgehogs. These were brought to the islands to eat snails and slugs in people’s gardens, but they now prey on birds’ eggs.

Scientists are trying to reduce the numbers of hedgehogs on the islands. But there is a lot of disagreement between the bird lovers and the hedgehog lovers.

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How can the animal homes be saved?

All over the world, wildlife groups are working to save rare wildlife. This is called conservation.

Creating nature reserves helps to protect rare species. This saves whole areas of habitat.

People also need to take better care of nature everywhere. We should live in ways that don’t harm wildlife.

Tourists visit reserves to see rare animals such as these manatees.

Many people visit reserves to see wild plants and animals in natural settings. The visitors pay a fee which helps to pay for conservation work in the park. This is called eco-tourism.

Reserves also provide jobs and money for local people. Rare mammals called manatees are protected in US coastal reserves.

This coral reef is in a nature reserve.

In many parts of the world, reserves and national parks now protect wild areas. Building and mining is banned in these areas, and no one is allowed to pick plants or harm wild animals.

Marine reserves are just as important as parks on land. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is a protected coral reef.

Ladders help salmon to swim upriver to lay their eggs.

Many animals make yearly journeys to safe places where they can breed. Fish such as salmon, birds and whales all make these regular journeys, called migrations. Salmon swim upriver to breed. If dams block their way, the fish cannot breed successfully.

Many dams now have ladders. A ladder is a series of steps and pools, one above the other, that help the salmon to swim upriver.

Wildlife workers protected this rare bird by taking it to a tiny new island home.

Endangered animals sometimes have to be moved to places of safety, called sanctuaries, for their own protection. In New Zealand, the introduction of cats and other predators brought the flightless Takahe to the edge of extinction.

Conservationists took some of the last birds and released them on a tiny island offshore, which was first made safe from predators. Cats, weasels, and rats were removed to make the island safe.

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Which actions of human are responsible for disappearing homes of natural habitant?

As human numbers grow, more and more wild land is used to grow crops and raise animals.

Today many farmers also use chemicals to grow bumper crops. These harm wild creatures.

Fields that were once home to all kinds of wildlife now hold just one crop.

Chemicals that kill weeds and pests kill all kinds of wildlife.

Many farmers spray their crops with chemicals to get rid of weeds and insects. These poisons kill all kinds of wildlife. However, organic farmers grow crops without using chemicals. Many more species are found on their farms.

Prairie chickens almost died out due to habitat loss in the US.

Wild grasslands such as the American prairies once covered large areas on mangy continents.

Now much of this wild land has been ploughed up to grow crops. This has driven wild birds such as prairie chickens to the point of extinction.

Goats have eaten all the grass on this farm in Africa.

Farmers rear herds of cattle, sheep and goats on land that is too poor for crops. But sometimes domestic animals strip all the vegetation, so wild creatures have nothing to eat.

If all the grass is eaten, winds and storms can blow or wash away the soil. This problem is called erosion.

Barn owls can be poisoned by chemicals used in farming.

When farmers spray their fields to get rid of pests, wild animals are affected too. The poison can spread through the food chain.

Mice absorb the chemicals when they eat grain that has been sprayed. The poison is stored in their bodies. Barn owls that eat poisoned mice may die, too.

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