Animal Protection

Enabling animals to survive in their environments

Body Coverings – Skin

Body Coverings – Fur/Hair

Body Coverings – Scales

Body Coverings – Feathers

Camouflage

Camouflage

Mimicry

The king snake has similar colors to the coral snake. The coral snake is venomous.

The viceroy butterfly has similar colors to the monarch butterfly. The monarch tastes bitter to birds, so they avoid it. Since the viceroy looks so

similar, birds avoid them too.

king snakecoral snake

viceroy butterfly

monarch

butterfly

Mimicry

walking stick leaf insect

owl moth leaf insect

Animal Defenses• Losing Part of their Body:• Worm: The earthworm has a pretty simple body shape. An

earthworm can often grow a new back end if it loses the one it was born with! So, a hungry bird may get part of a meal, but an earthworm gets a second chance at survival.

• Starfish: Some species have the ability to regenerate an arm when one has been lost to a predator.

• Lizards: Some species can grow a new tail when the tail has been lost to a predator.

Animal Defenses• “Playing Dead” – Opossum: • Many meat-eating animals will not eat an animal if they find it

already dead. The opossum uses this fact to save its own life. If a opossum feels it's in danger, it may choose to play dead! The opossum falls over and curls up. Its tongue hangs out, and its eyes look lifeless. This act can fool a hunting animal into losing interest.

Animal Defenses• Appearing Bigger:• Toad: When a toad is under attack, it uses a trick. It takes a deep

breath and puffs up its whole body. This trick can make a toad look three times as big as it really is...which just might scare away an attacker.

• Porcupine: When the porcupine is under attack, it extends its quills to look larger. Then, it shakes so that the quills make a rattling noise. If a predator gets too close and gets poked by a quill, the quill releases by contact.

Animal Defenses• Other Defense Mechanisms:• Skunk: Spraying a smelly liquid• Armadillo: Rolling into a ball• Turtle and tortoise: Pulling all of the soft body parts into its shell