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Animal Adaptations - Animal Defense

Animal Adaptations - Animal Defense Many animals have developed remarkable defenses to keep from being eaten.

Grazing animals often feed in herds. When a predator attacks, the animals scatter and run in different directions which confuses the predator and allows the animals to escape. Some animals never venture too far from their home in underground dens or thick vegetation and can quickly hide when danger approaches. Many animals have keen senses of sight, smell, and hearing so that they can detect danger and escape. Some animals have horns or antlers to fight off predators. Some animals are active only at night when it is harder for predators to find them.

Many animals rely on camouflage or the ability to blend in with their surroundings to hide from predators. A few animals are even poisonous or unpleasant-tasting, and predators soon learn to leave such animals alone. These poisonous kinds of animals are often brightly colored, as well, which acts as a warning to predators.

Some animals use chemicals which they spray from various parts of their bodies to deter predators. A few animals rely on trickery and copy the defenses of other animals to protect themselves.

Sample these internet sites and complete the activities for each one to learn more about the adaptations that animals have made to protect themselves.

Western Lowland Gorilla
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Gorilla_gorilla_gorilla.html
  1. To scare away danger, how does an adult male gorilla communicate aggression?

Tarantulas
http://www.tarantulas.com/
  1. How do tarantulas protect themselves?

Two and Three-Toed Sloths
http://www.rossparkzoo.com/animals/sloth.htm
  1. What are 2 ways that these sloths defend themselves?
  2. What are their main predators?

White Throated Monitor Lizard
http://www.honoluluzoo.org/monitor_lizard_white_throated.htm

  1. How do these animals scare away predators?

Zebras
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/meet_the_animals/zebra,-grant%E2%80%99s-(common)

  1. How do zebras defend themselves?

African Hedgehog
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/meet_the_animals/east-african-hedgehog*

  1. What physical feature does a hedgehog have that protects it from predators?

Woma
http://www.perthzoo.wa.gov.au/Animals--Plants/Australia/Alinta-Reptile-Encounter/Woma/

  1. What kind of animal is a woma?
  2. How does it protect itself from predators?

Stingrays
http://www.aqua.org/animals_southernstingray.html

  1. How do stingrays defend themselves against predators?

Lions
http://www.lpzoo.org/animals/factsheet.php?contentID=182
  1. Why are lions a tawny brown color?

Round Island Day Gecko
http://www.thewildones.org/Animals/riGecko.html

  1. When in danger of becoming a predator's dinner, what does this gecko do?

Bearded Dragon
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/meet_the_animals/bearded-dragon*

  1. How do they scare away predators?

Plains Zebra
http://www.naturezoo.com/?q=node/10

  1. How do zebras warn each other of danger?

Prairie Dogs
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-prairie_dog.html

  1. How do prairie dogs protect their territory?

Cheetah
http://www.thebigzoo.com/Animals/Cheetah.asp

  1. What is it about baby cheetahs that makes them look bigger to predators?
Bibliography

Scott, Michael. The Young Oxford Book of Ecology. Oxford : Oxford Press, 1995.

Author: LINDA MOSBACKER - Email linda.mosbacker@slc.k12.ut.us