Animals Protec themselves

Alligator
Alligators have a thick skin formed by bony plates. Alligators have very strong jaws that can crush the bones of its' enemies. They also have a strong tail that can whack enemies. Alligators often will hiss or roar to warn off enemies. Back to Top
 
 
Armadillo
Armadillos have hard plates that cover their back, sides and top of their head. These hard plates protect them from attacks from other animals. All armadillos curl up to protect their soft underside, but only the 3 banded armadillo can curl up into a complete ball. Armadillos can also burrow into the ground. Since the 9 banded armadillo cannot curl up into a tight ball, it will often dig an escape. It can dig a hole extremely fast to escape and enemy using 2 front curved claws on each front paw. They enemy can't reach the soft unprotected underside.
Armadillos can jump up to 3 feet straight up into the air to startle a predator. This sometimes gives the armadillo a few seconds head start to escape. Also, when the armadillo jumps up he may hit his predator in the mouth with his hard armor and dislocate the predator's jaw. Back to Top

Bats

Bats hang upside down in case a predator comes a long. Then it can get off easier. They stay in the dark so the enemies can't seem them very well. Back to Top
 
 
Bears
Bears are very big. They have claws four inches long and 3 inch long teeth. The coats of bears blend in with their hibernation spot making them hard to be seen. Back to Top
 
 
Bugs
There are many ways bugs protect themselves. One of the ways is camouflage. Some bugs pretend to be a plant. Like the rose thorn tree hopper who pretends to be a thorn on a rose bush by standing very still and having its thorn shaped body face the same direction as the real thorns. Another tricky way bugs defend themselves is to act like another bug or animal that is really dangerous. For example, the fungus beetle looks like a ladybug with its red back and round and black spots. The animals that have eaten a lady bug know that they don't taste that good so they leave the fungus beetle alone. Back to Top
Cats - Domestic
Cats have retractable nails. So they can swipe at their enemy with their sharp claws. Cats also have sharp teeth to help protect themselves. Cats have exceptional hearing so they can often hear an enemy before it arrives. This gives the cat a head start on escaping. Cats also have excellent night vision. This helps them in spotting and escaping predators. If a cat is attacked it will often arch its' back and raise its' fur to make it look bigger. This will sometimes scare off a predator. Back to Top
Cats - Wild
Wild cats have all the abilities of the domestic cat and even more. They have camouflage which allows them to hide from enemies by blending in with their surroundings. Wild cats also have excellent speed. The cheetah, for instance, can run up to 70 miles per hour. Back to Top
Koalas
Koalas have sharp claws for defense and they are good climbers. They protect their babies by putting them in a pouch.
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Lizards
Lizards best defense is camouflage. When it stands still it is very hard to see. When seen by a predator they can run very fast. They can even run up a tree., or under rocks. Some of them run on their hind legs. The fastest lizard is the zebra tailed lizard. It runs up to 18 miles per hour. The tails of most lizards can come off, leaving the predator with a mouth full of scales. It eventually grows back. The Blue tongued skink startles attackers by sticking out its big, bright, blue tongue and wiggling it.
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Rabbits
Rabbits coloring helps them hide. Arctic hares are white and can't be seen on the snow except when they run. Back to Top
 
 
Scorpion
The main defense on a scorpion is its venomous stinger on the end of the tail. As the scorpion stings an enemy, it injects poison from a pair of poison glands. Back to Top
Shrew
Shrews are a small mammal similar to a mouse but related to the mole. Some species of shrew have poison in their salvia. Some species can secrete a foul odor as a means of defense. This comes from their glands. When a shrew is attacked it may squeal to warm off an enemy. Back to Top
Hero Shrew
Have you ever heard of a hero shrew? Well a hero shrew is a special kind of shrew that can hold the weight of a human body on its back! So what is it's secret? The hero shrew's vertebrae are shaped so they lock together to make a strong line of bones. So if you step on it, it will not be harmed. Warning! Do not try this with just any shrew! Back to Top
Snakes
As you know most snakes have venom, can swim , or are camouflaged to fit in with their environment. But there are is one snake that has a really cool defense. It's called the hognose snake. When the hognose snake is under attack it will suddenly roll over dead. When an animal tries to roll it over on it's back, it will pop back up to life and roll right back over on its belly and fake dead until the enemy finally goes away. Back to Top