Animals

Author: Andrea Mills

Consultant: Dr Katie Parsons
 Contents
Editor Olivia Stanford
Designer Lucy Sims 4 What is an animal?
Project art editor Joanne Clark
Senior editor Gill Pitts 6 Vertebrates
Managing editor Laura Gilbert
Managing art editor Diane Peyton Jones 8 Mammals
Picture research Surya Sarangi
Pre-production producer Nadine King
Producer Srijana Gurung
10 Where mammals live
Art director Martin Wilson
Publisher Sarah Larter
12 Birds
Publishing director Sophie Mitchell
14 Reptiles
Educational consultant Jacqueline Harris
16 Amphibians
First published in Great Britain in 2016 by
Dorling Kindersley Limited
80 Strand, London, WC2R 0RL
18 Fish
Copyright © 2016 Dorling Kindersley Limited
A Penguin Random House Company
20 Invertebrates
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
001–291664–July/2016 22 Insects
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in
24 What is a habitat?
any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the
prior written permission of the copyright owner.

A CIP catalogue record for this book

is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978-0-2412-5025-9
x
fo

Printed and bound in China Cat

Red

A WORLD OF IDEAS:
SEE ALL THERE IS TO KNOW

www.dk.com

nt rainforest
Gia mantis

2
 fl
Butter y

26 Types of habitat 48 Baby animals

28 Deep and dark 50 Deadly animals
30 Animal homes 52 Meet the expert
32 Adaptation 54 Animals and us
34 Teeth 56 Animal facts and figures
36 Food chains 58 Top animals
38 Hunting 60 Glossary
tula
40 Defences 62 Index Ta
ran

42 Camouflage 64 Acknowledgements
44 Attracting mates
46 Life cycle of a frog

pard tortoi
Leo se
il l a

Goldfi s h
Gor

ot
r
Par
Fir

e
sala
m ande
r

3
What is an
animal?
Millions of different types of
animal live on Earth. Each kind
of animal is known as a species.
Breathing
All animals need oxygen to survive. They get
Whether they are as tiny as an it either by breathing air or by absorbing
ant or as big as an elephant, all oxygen from water into their body. Dolphins
live in water and breathe air through the
animals have a few things in blowhole on top of their head.
common. For example, animals
must eat other living things to The toucan’s long bill is
survive, unlike plants, which get useful for reaching food.

their energy from sunlight.

Animals can also move from place Feeding
to place, whereas plants cannot. Animals get their energy
from food. Many are
carnivores, which means
they eat meat. Others are
herbivores, which means
they eat plants. Some
animals, called omnivores,
eat both animals and plants.

Powerful back legs allow

grasshoppers to jump

Moving 20 times their own body

length in a single leap.
Animals move around in a variety of ways,
including hopping, jumping, running,
crawling, slithering, flying, or swimming.
Many animals use their legs to move, but
others may use wings or fins.

4
Many animals are able to send
messages to each other. This is
called communication. They may
use their voice, their face, and
their body to communicate.
Monkeys, like this mandrill, can
scream a warning, while many
birds have their own special
song. Some animals, such as
beetles, use chemical scents

g
to send a message.

t in
i ca
un

m
C o m
Reproducing Reptiles use their to
n g u e s t o s m e l l t h e i r s u r ro u
n d i ngs
.

Some female animals, such as seals, grow

their young inside their bellies before giving
birth. The babies may stay with their mother
for a while to learn how to find food and avoid
predators. Other animals, including birds and
some reptiles and insects, lay eggs and protect
them until the newborns hatch.

Sensing
If an animal is to stay alive, it is vital for it
to be able to sense what is happening
around it. The five major senses that animals
use are sight, hearing, smell, taste, and
Mother seal touch. Some animals have extra senses and
Baby seal can detect electricity or even magnetism!

5
Vertebrates
Animals with backbones are called vertebrates. They have a
bony skeleton under their skin and muscles, which provides
a strong framework that supports their body and helps them
move. They may look very different at first glance, but all
vertebrate skeletons share some features, such as a skull
to protect the brain.
Mammals have a
large brain, which The small bones
is protected by of the backbone
their hard skull. are called
Mammals vertebrae.
Only mammals have a
lower jaw that is hinged
directly to the skull. They
also have specialized teeth,
which means that they can
bite, grip, tear, cut, chew,
and grind their food. The
planet’s largest animals belong to
this group, including whales,
elephants, and tigers.

Fish
The first vertebrates were
fish. Most fish, including
carp, have a hard, bony The ribcage
skeleton. However, sharks provides a
and rays have a softer protective casing
for the internal
skeleton, which is made organs, such as the
Ca

of a flexible material heart and lungs.

rp

el called cartilage.
sk

e to
n

6
 Pigeo
ns

ke
le
ton
Reptiles
Reptiles have highly bendy
backbones. Whether they
have four legs, like lizards, or no
legs at all, like snakes, most Birds
reptiles are fast movers and
Birds have special bodies that
efficient hunters.
allow them to fly. Their arms
have become wings and their
Lizard skeleton has strong, but light
s kel
eto bones, which makes flying
n
easier. Only birds have
feathers, which keep them
warm and help them fly.
Tiger skeleto
n

ton
g skele
Fro

Amphibians
These were the first four-limbed
vertebrates to walk on Earth.
Their skeletons are a mix of bone
and cartilage. Some amphibians,
such as frogs, are good at
swimming and jumping.

Longer back legs allow the

tiger to make giant leaps.

7
Mammals
From anteaters to zebras, and even humans like you, mammals
come in all shapes and sizes. However, all mammals feed their
young with milk. Most mammals give birth to live young, and
almost all have hair on their body.

Warm blood
Mammals have a
constant body
temperature. They
produce their own
heat to keep warm
or sweat to cool
down. This means
they can be active
whether conditions
are hot or cold.

Fur
Only mammals are
covered in hair. Many
hairs tightly packed
together make fur. This
protects the skin, and
helps to keep the
mammal warm and dry.

8
5 MAMMAL FACTS Types of mammal
There are more than 5,000 different
1 Sea otters have the thickest fur
of all mammals. An adult may be types of mammal in the world today.
covered in 800 million hairs. They are divided into three groups,
based on how their babies are born
2 Female elephants carry their
baby for an incredible 22 months and raised.
before they give birth.

3 A common tenrec holds the

record for the most young born
Echidna
egg
in one litter. She had 32 babies.
Tenrecs are small mammals that
live in Madagascar.

4 Blue whale babies are the largest

on Earth. They weigh 2.5 tonnes
Egg-laying mammals
Monotremes are the
(2.7 tons) when they are born. only mammals to lay
eggs. Echidnas, or
5 Hooded seal mothers produce
milk that is more than 60 per cent
spiny anteaters, and the
A baby duck-billed platypus
fat. That is richer than ice cream. kangaroo from Australia are the
is known two types of monotreme
as a joey. alive today.

Pouched mammals
Marsupials are
Milk mammals that carry
their babies in a pouch
Female mammals to keep them safe.
produce milk to feed Australia is home to
their young. The babies many marsupials,
including kangaroos
suckle from their
and koalas.
mothers to drink the
milk, which is packed
with all the nutrients
they need.

Feast for an African fawn Placental mammals

This young impala is drinking Placental mammals, such as pigs, give birth to babies
milk from its mother’s udder that are more developed than marsupial babies. This is
while she keeps watch. the largest group of mammals and includes humans.

9
Where mammals live
Mammals are most widespread and different on land, but they
have also taken to the air and water. Bats have wings and are the
only group of mammals that can fly. Aquatic mammals living
in the sea have flexible flippers to help them swim.
Bears are the largest

Giraffes hav
meat-eating animals heir hum
in t
(carnivores) living at ps
.

f
on land.

re
sto
els

the lo e
Cam
Squirrels use their

ngest neck of any living ani

bushy tail for balance
when running along
branches.

s.
ate
im
e pr

ites thro

mal
term
h

nd
all t

ug

.
t s
Land an

h their
t of

p
he larges

There are more types of

ap

tube
I
rs

mammal on land because

te
tea

like
there are so many different
illas are t

An

sno
places where they can live.

u t.
This might be a desert,
G or

a leafy forest, or even

underground.

Sea Dolphins are

Mammals living in the sea fast swimmers
can stay underwater for and Iike to re slow-movers.
leap out of tees a
long periods of time. Their a
the water. an
M

streamlined shape helps

to make them very good
at swimming.

10
 Air
s that live Fruit bats are also Most bats are nocturnal, which
nts a re the largest an i mal means they are active at night.
ph a known as flying

on
Ele foxes. Some feed They fly around, hunting for

lan
during the day. flying insects, such as moths,

d.
and other food.
roses have thick, toug
n oce h sk in.
hi

R
Koalas are
marsupials (pouched
mammals), which
spend most of their
time in trees.

Zeb
ras Iive in large herds o
ng

Hares have large

rassy plains.

ears so they can

listen out for

t.
gh
predators. i
at n
un t
h
at
th nkeys
ats Mo
gc

are
bi
are

very c
s
p ard
Leo

lever.
e armour-like s
hav ki
os
n.
il l
ad
Arm

Hedgehogs
have prickly Moles dig tunnels with
spines for their spadelike hands.
Foxes are defence.
members of the
dog family.

alive to day.
t he largest animals
Whales are
Sea otters
g for food. spend most
ep lookin of their time
d e
ive
ls d in water.
Sea

11
 p of a flight f
Lilac-breasted roller
Feathers lo se-u ea
th
This bird is easy to spot in C e
the grasslands of Africa Different feathers have

r.
because of its brilliantly very different shapes, depending
coloured feathers and its on their job. The largest and
loud call.
strongest are the flight feathers
on a bird’s wings and tail.

Flight feathers are

made of different parts
that link together to
make a flat surface.

Bill
Birds don’t have teeth.
Instead, they have a
light but strong bill
for feeding. The bills
have different shapes,
depending on a bird’s
diet. Rollers mainly
eat insects.

Birds
Birds are the only animals in the world
with feathers, which provide a protective
and warm covering and help them fly.
Their wings make them the best fliers
of all the flying animals. Like mammals,
birds are warm-blooded. However, unlike
most mammals, they lay eggs instead of
giving birth to live young.
12
Eggs and nest Bird types
Most female birds make a nest, where they There are about 10,000 different types of
lay their eggs. The young grow inside, while
the parents keep the eggs warm, taking it in
bird living all over the world. They come
turns to sit on them. When the time is right, in all shapes, sizes, and colours. Some are
the chicks peck their way out of the shell. big, such as a heron, with a long bill and
large wings. Others are small, but have a
very loud song, like a blackbird.

ed. only live in

t ly colo u r an
d Ne
igh ly
br

w
ot

Ze
Kiwis cann
e
ar

ala
ts
ro

nd.
r
Pa

These eggs are ready to hatch. s.

tie

ci
in
ive
Tail tenl
f
so
The tail is used like a rudder to e on
steer when flying, or for balance Pig
when the bird is perched on a Hawks
have
branch or walking on the ground. excellent
eyesight.
sea.

t he
ear
Ducks have

rn
webbed feet

no
for swimming. i
Feet ed
e
ls f

Birds are bipedal, which

ul

G
means they stand and walk
on two feet. They have
between two and four toes, Herons use
their long legs
which end in a sharp claw. to wade in
water.
Blackbirds have
a beautiful song.
Wings Owls
are active at n
mers but cannot fly.
im
ight.

Instead of arms with hands, sw

d

birds have wings. Birds fly

goo

either by flapping their wings

ins are

or using them to glide in the

air. A few birds can also hover.
u
Peng

13
Reptiles
All reptiles have dry skin, which is
protected by tough scales or horny
plates. They are cold-blooded, which Scaly skin
means their body temperature matches The chameleon’s skin
changes colour depending
their surroundings. Most species of on the light, temperature,
reptile eat other animals and lay eggs and its mood. If it is
angry or frightened, it
on land to produce young. Lizards are may turn bright red,
the most common type of reptile. for example.

Tail
Other As well as helping the
reptiles chameleon to balance, its
long prehensile tail is used
Crocodiles and alligators walk to hold on to branches.
on all four legs on land and
use their long, powerful tails
to swim in water. Snakes have Crocodiles and alligators
no legs and move by flexing The biggest reptiles are crocodiles and
alligators. They hunt in lakes, rivers, and Crocodiles have a
their long body. Tortoises and coastal areas. Their strong jaws and sharp more pointed snout
turtles are the only reptiles teeth can kill prey as large as zebras. than alligators.
with a bony shell, which
protects the body like a
suit of armour.
Siamese crocodile

14
Panther chameleon
Chameleons are a special type
Eye
of lizard with a tail that they The two eyes can move
use as a fifth limb when they independently to look in
are climbing in trees. Panther different directions or
chameleons live in Madagascar
and eat mostly insects.
they can both look at the
same thing, such as prey.

Tongue
The long, muscular tongue is
flipped out to catch insects
by trapping them on its
sticky cup-like end.

Toes
The two sets of toes on
each of the chameleon’s
feet give it a pincer-like
grip as it moves along The panthe
r chameleo
a branch. back with it n’s tong
s prey in just ue flips out and
0.007 secon
ds!

Tortoises and turtles

Tortoises live on land and walk quite slowly
A threatened cobra rears on all four legs. Turtles spend most of their
up and spreads its hood. time in water and and have webbed feet or
King cobra

Snakes flippers for swimming.

All snakes catch live prey, which they
swallow whole. Some snakes, such as This tortoise
cobras, kill their prey by injecting has just
venom into them using their hatched.
two needle-like teeth,
called fangs. Leopard tortoise

15
Amphibians
Amphibians begin their life in water, Toads
where they breathe with gills. Most Although they look like
amphibians then grow a pair of lungs so frogs, toads are larger and
have shorter legs and drier
that they can breathe when they are on skin. They spend more time
land. They mostly have smooth skin, which on land than frogs.
must stay moist, so amphibians stay close
to wet places when out of water.

Bumpy skin
through which
toads can
breathe.

European green toad

Flattened tail for

swimming.

Frogs Co
m
Unlike other amphibians, mo
nf
rog
frogs and toads have no tails
Frogspawn consists of
as adults. They are the most hundreds of black
common and so best-known eggs, surrounded by
of all amphibians. Frogs eat protective jelly, laid in
live prey, such as insects, water by female frogs.
catching them with their
long, sticky tongue.

Webbed feet on the

long back legs help
frogs swim in water.

16
 Brightly patterned
skin warns predators Cong Caecilians
o ca
that this salamander Caecilians look and behave like worms, but they

ec
is poisonous. actually eat worms. They live in soil burrows or

ilia
underwater, and have a long, thin, legless body.

n
Caecilians have poor eyesight and hearing, but
they have a good sense of smell.

Ring-shaped
folds of skin.

Pointed, bony head is

Fi
re used like a shovel to
sa burrow into soil.
lam
an
der

Salamanders
At first glance, a
salamander looks like a shiny,
wt Adult newts can
smooth-skinned lizard. Salamanders have ne grow a new tail
d
either four or two limbs. They may have be in a few weeks.
rib
lungs or gills or neither, breathing is h
an
through their skin instead. Sp

Newts
Newts have a slim body, a long tail,
Alb
i no and four legs of about the same size. Like
a Large, red external
xo salamanders, they can grow back parts of their body,
lot gills for breathing
l
in water. such as an eye, leg, or tail, if it is damaged. They eat
worms, insects, and other small animals.

3 AMPHIBIAN FACTS

1 The Chinese giant salamander is the

world’s largest amphibian, reaching
Smooth,
white skin 1.8 m (6 ft) in length.
covers the
plump 2 Giant salamanders also live the longest,
body. Axolotl reaching more than 50 years old.
The axolotl is a unique type of
salamander that spends all its life in 3 The fastest amphibian is the Andean
salamander, which has a top speed of
water. It never develops the adult 24 kph (15 mph).
features that would allow it to move
onto land, but it can still breed.

17
Fish
sh
dfi Gills
ol

G
Instead of lungs, fish
breathe with gills,
which are positioned
There are about 32,000 types of fish either side of the head.
in the world’s oceans, lakes, and rivers. Water enters the mouth
of the fish and leaves
They are divided into three groups. Bony through the gills, which
fish have a light but strong bone skeleton, and take oxygen from the water.
are by far the biggest group. Cartilaginous fish,
which include sharks and rays, have a skeleton
made of a bendy material called cartilage.
Jawless fish only include lampreys.

n ha
ira
P

Teeth
Fish have different
types of teeth,
depending on their
diet. Meat-eating fish
have pointed teeth to
cut into prey. Piranhas
have tiny teeth, but
they are razor-sharp.

Eggs
lfish
Many female fish release ge
An
thousands of eggs into Fins
aid’s purse

the water, but some eggs Fish fins are found on different
are well-protected. A parts of the body. They are used
“mermaid’s purse” is the to swim up or down, steer to
casing that surrounds one side, turn around, or act as
Merm

each egg of some sharks. brakes to stop the fish moving.

18
 Tig
Tail

er
sh a
The streamlined shape of a fish

rk
ends in a sweeping tail. Most
fish swim by moving their tails
from left to right to propel Trou
t
themselves through
Dorsal fin the water.
Most fish have a dorsal fin
on their back. This fin keeps
the fish upright in the water,
and is most visible on
sharks. Some fish have
two dorsal fins.

Jawless fish
rboard wr
e cke as The first fish did not have
h jaws, and the only ones
se
C

alive today are lampreys.

These long fish have a
Lamprey
Scales cartilage skeleton and a
Some fish have round mouth that has
lots of teeth. Most
smooth skin, but most Close-up of
lampreys attach a lamprey’s
fish are protected by themselves to other sucker-like
scales, spines, or bony fish with their mouth mouth.
plates. The colour and pattern of and suck on their blood.
the scales may help a fish hide
from predators or attract a mate.

19
Invertebrates
Jellyfish are found
in every ocean.

on jellyfish
Animals with no backbone are called invertebrates. They
are by far the largest group of animals, making up most

Mo
of the life on Earth. Instead of a bony skeleton,
their bodies use other substances for support Oct
opu
s
or protection, such as fluid or shell.

g ar
Vine oon ula
Tarant Spiders have eight
legs and most have
eight eyes.

Molluscs
Molluscs have a wide range of
l
Snai
Arachnids Whip body types, but they all have a
All arachnids have a body that spider soft body and many have a
is divided into two main protective shell. Most molluscs
segments and four pairs of are water-loving creatures, but
legs. Most spiders have quite a few are land-based,
venomous fangs, while such as some slugs
scorpions come with and snails.
a sting in their tail.

Giant clam
Slug
Dra

r
spid e B
go

b fly
Or
n

ts
ug

Sco
rpion An
y
rfl
te
ut
Insects
crab

B
These small creatures have
Spider

three pairs of legs and a Wasp

body divided into three
parts. They use two feelers
on their head to touch,
tis smell, and taste. Many
Man d
bir Some insects,
insects also have wings. S
in tick
L a dy

such as this wasp,

se may sting, and
ct
some have a
strong bite.

Katy
did Fly Beetle
20
 97% 3%

Ane
Jellyfish

m one
Jellyfish, anemones, of all animals are If these
and corals may look two pages
very different, but they invertebrates! represented
every type
are close relations. They all of animal, all of
live in water and many of the vertebrates
these simple animals have Starfish and would fit into this

Sun sta
stinging tentacles for feeding space! That is all
and defence. sea urchins fish, amphibians,

r
reptiles, birds,
These animals live in the sea and mammals!
although they cannot swim.
in They have a distinctive o n ge Sponges cannot
sp
symmetrical appearance,
h

move around,
l

Sea urc
ra

l
Barre
o
Brai n c and spines and spikes unlike most
for protection. other animals.
Lobste
r

Starfish usually Sponges

have five arms,
fish
but some have
Sponges are the simplest
r
of all animals. They live in
Sta
up to 40.
the sea, attached to rocks
or coral reefs. The first
sponges lived more than
Crustaceans 600 million years ago.
These tough-bodied invertebrates
are at home in water. They have Earthworms

ge
eat things
jointed legs and a body divided into

on
such as rotting
segments. Large crustaceans, such

sp
leaves that are pe
as crabs and lobsters, use their found in soil. Stove-pi
claws to capture and kill prey. Leech

rm
Ea r t
hw o Worms
Worms have long, soft,
segmented bodies. They
breathe through their skin,
so they have to keep it
damp if they live on land.
Bristles on their body help
Crabs have them to move around.
10 legs, but
the first pair are
used as claws.
Rag

w
orm 21
Insects
There are more insects on Earth than any other group
of animals. Over one million different species have been
found so far, but there may be as many as 10 million! Their
small size and their ability to fly means that insects are found
in a wide range of habitats around the world.

Common wasp
This insect buzzes
Insect body parts around hunting for
The body of an insect is food. Its black and
yellow stripes are a
divided into three parts. Thorax warning that it has
The head houses the brain, a painful sting.
and supports the eyes,
feelers, and mouthparts.
All insects have six legs on
the thorax and many have
wings. The abdomen
contains the organs for Head
digestion and Abdomen
rep rod uct ion .
Stinger can
be used again
and again.

Silk moths
Useful insects Silkworms spin a silk cocoon
around themselves when they
are ready to change into the adult
Although some insects are moth. People have used this silk
pests, they are important to make cloth for more than
to a lot of living things, 5,000 years.

particularly flowering
plants. They are the main Silkworm cocoon
source of food for many
h
mot

animals, and humans find

ilk

some insects useful, too.

ts
ul

Ad
22
Wings Feelers po
un d e
ye mag
nif
ie
Wasps have two pairs of om
All insects have two

d
C
transparent wings, which

ma
feelers, or antennae,

ny t
they beat at high speed
which they use to

imes.
to fly fast, turn,
and hover. touch, smell, and taste
their surroundings.

Eyes
Their two large
compound eyes, which
have thousands of tiny
lenses, mean that insects
are excellent at spotting
something moving.

e-up of mand
los i
C

bl
es
Mouthparts
Most insects have biting
jaws, or mandibles. Behind
the jaws are straw-like
Legs tubes, which they use to
Insects have three pairs of suck up liquid food, such
jointed legs, which they use for as nectar.
walking and gripping. Some
insects are also good jumpers.

Bumblebee
drinking Edible insects
nectar. Insects are high in protein,
and 27 per cent of people in
Bees the world eat them. Crunchy
Bees are important because they crickets are a popular snack.
pollinate flowers, including some
human food crops. Honeybees
produce sweet honey from nectar. Dried crickets

23
 Habitat checklist

Food
Animals need food to live and
grow. All habitats contain
plants, which make food from
sunlight. Animals either eat
plants or other animals, or
both plants and animals.

Water
All living things need water.
Rain and snow can both be
sources of fresh water. In
places with little water, the
water inside food can help
animals survive.

Shelter
Depending on the type of
habitat, a shelter can be a
tree, burrow, nest, or rock.
Animals seek shelter to hide
from predators and escape
extreme heat or cold.

What is a habitat?
A habitat is the place where an animal or plant can find what it
needs to live, including food, water, and shelter. There are all
sorts of different habitats around the world. One of the most
important habitats is tropical rainforest, because so many different
types of animal and plant live in it. Tropical rainforest is mostly
found in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

24
 Orangutans
The rainforests of Borneo
and Sumatra in Southeast
Asia are the only places
where orangutans live. They
eat fruit, leaves, and flowers,
and drink from rain-soaked
leaves. They also build nests
in the trees to sleep in.

Rainforest dwellers
Rainforests are bursting with
life. The warm, wet weather
Monkey-
is perfect for plants, which
tailed skink
means plenty of food for A skilled climber,
Giant rainforest mantis
animals. Birds nest in the the monkey-tailed skink
One of Australia’s largest mantises,
treetops, monkeys swing this fierce insect has a big appetite. lives in the Solomon Islands,
from the branches, and big It feasts on other insects such near Australia. It feeds on fruit
predators, such as leopards, as butterflies and dragonflies. and leaves, using its flexible tail
stalk the forest floor. to cling to branches.

25
Types of Mountain
The snowy peaks and lower slopes of cold
mountains are home to a few tough animals.

habitat
Any land that measures more than 600 m
(2,000 ft) in height is called a mountain.

From baking hot deserts to Forest

snowcapped mountains, the More animals live in forests than any other
world is made up of many habitat on land. The three main forest types
are steamy rainforests, cooler temperate
different habitats. Animals live rainforests, and cold coniferous forests.
in the habitat where they are
best-suited to the temperature,
weather, and food that is found Grassland
Hot grasslands that have a rainy season and
there. Many different types of a dry season are called tropical grasslands.
animal and plant live side by Temperate grasslands have some rain all
year, and both hot and cold seasons.
side in most habitats.

Desert
One of the world’s most difficult habitats
Microhabitats to live in is desert, because less than 25 cm
(10 in) of rain falls in a year. Temperatures
A microhabitat is a habitat on a miniature
scale. It can be as tiny as the space under a are high in the day and very cold at night.
stone. The smallest difference in temperature
or the amount of moisture will make a
microhabitat more attractive to one type of Polar
animal than another. A seaside rock pool is
The polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctic
an example of a microhabitat and is home
to lots of living things. are frozen worlds of floating ice caps and
howling winds. These extreme places are
empty lands with few plants or animals.

Ocean
The world’s oceans make up two-thirds of our
planet’s surface. Scientists think that this huge
habitat is home to millions of different types
of animal that have yet to be discovered.
Rock pool

26
Golden eagle
These birds of prey nest
high in the mountains.
Their superb eyesight
helps them spot prey, such
as a mountain hare, from
3 km (2 miles) away.

Brown bear
Trees provide leafy cover
for brown bears as they
search for food. Their
thick fur keeps them
warm in the cold winters
of coniferous forests.

Wildebeest
The tropical grassland of
Africa is called savanna.
Wildebeest eat the grass,
but they must move
during the dry season to
find enough to eat.

Side-winding adder
This snake’s colours
merge with the desert
sand to hide it from
predators and prey. It gets
water from the lizards
that it eats.

Arctic hare
A fluffy white coat helps
the Arctic hare blend
into the icy landscape.
In severe storms, these
hares dig snow shelters
to keep warm.

Tropical fish
Many different types of
colourful tropical fish live
in warm seas, often around
coral reefs. The reefs offer
a place to live, hide, and
search for food.

27
Deep and dark
The deepest depths of the oceans are
more than 1,000 m (3,280 ft) under
the surface. This extreme habitat
has huge challenges for the
animals that live there. Fish
and other marine life live with
permanent darkness, bitter
cold, very little food, and
crushing pressure from Fangtooths live at depths of
the huge amount of water 5,000 m (16,400 ft).

above. Scientists can only

see these animals by
Some comb
using a special vehicle jellies produce
called a submersible. their own light.

Fangtooth
Many deep-sea fish like this
fangtooth have jaws that can
stretch and sharp teeth ready
to trap any food they find. At
15–18 cm (6–7 in) long, the
fangtooth has the biggest teeth
compared to its size of any fish.

Comb jelly
Comb jellies are invertebrates that
have eight rows of thousands of tiny
hairs called combs on the surface of
their body. They move around by
beating the combs.

28
 Extreme survivor
There is nothing tougher than a tardigrade. Also
called “water bears”, these tiny animals, which
are usually less than 1 mm (1⁄25 in) long, can
live in the deepest oceans. They can also
survive dry conditions, and being frozen
or boiled. Tardigrades can even live
in space!

The big fins look like the

ears of an elephant.
Dumbo octopus
These octopuses live
deeper in the ocean
Like a lure on a than any other type
fishing rod, this of octopus. They
glowing fin hover along the sea
attracts prey. bed at depths of up to
4,000 m (13,100 ft) in
search of prey.

Anglerfish
Instead of swimming
around, the anglerfish
lures its prey within reach.
It has a massive mouth that
can swallow large prey whole.

Sea cucumber
Sea cucumbers look for These marine animals are called sea
scraps on the sea floor. cucumbers because they are a similar
shape, and sometimes colour, to the
vegetable. Their closest relatives are
starfish and sea urchins.

29
Animal Den
Foxes and bears build dens. A female polar

homes bear digs out a snowy den in the Arctic,

where she gives birth in winter. She rears her
cubs for three months, until the cubs
are ready for the
There’s no place like home, and world outside.
animals are amazing architects.
They are creative builders, making
all kinds of different houses in
which to live or have their young.
Safety, shelter, and warmth are all
important features of a home,
whether high up in the treetops
Web
Some animals make
or down on the ground. Nature their own materials.
provides many materials, such as Spiders have a special
silk-spinning organ in
grass, branches, and mud, for the rear of their body
animals to build their houses. called a spinneret.
They weave silk into
intricate webs, which
are used to trap prey.

Lodge
A beaver Busy beavers choose watery
fa m
locations to build a lodge
because they are excellent
ily
ins

swimmers. Mud and

ide their lodg

branches are used to make

a safe structure with
entrances underwater to
prevent predators entering.
e.

30
 Sett
Badgers dig deep to
Drey
What looks like a
tangle of sticks in
construct networks
a tree may be a
of underground
squirrel’s home.
chambers and
Dreys are built with
tunnels. These shy
leaves, twigs, and
creatures emerge
moss. Winter dreys are
from their sett at
bigger and thicker to keep
night to feed.
the squirrels extra warm.

Nest
Not only birds make nests.
Mound
Wasps build nests using
paper they make by Tiny termites use teamwork
chewing on wood and to build mighty mounds,
plants. These strong reaching 10 m (33 ft) high!
structures are ideal They are made from
places to lay eggs termite saliva and dung
and rear young. mixed with soil. Holes
in the walls let air enter
and cool the mound.

Shell
e the mo
insid un
ing d.
rk
wo
es
Termit

Imagine carrying your home on

your back! Hermit crabs use
empty seashells to live
inside. When the shell
gets too small for
the growing
crab, it finds
a bigger one.

31
Adaptation
If an animal is well-suited to its habitat we say it has an
adaptation. The better-adapted it is, the more likely it is
to survive. For example, a penguin’s thick feathers are a
perfect adaptation for keeping it warm in the snow, but
would make it far too hot in a desert.

In the desert
Sandy deserts are hot places without
much water. Some animals, like
camels, have become well-matched for A beak is
this environment. They can survive perfect for
catching fish,
without water for days, have a store of but there
fat in their hump for energy, and long aren’t any in
eyelashes to keep out the sand. the desert.

Dark feathers absorb Dense feathers

heat, which make cover a thick
the penguin too hot layer of fat, for
in the desert. warmth. The
penguin would
overheat on the
hot sand.

Small wings
are used for
swimming,
but there is
nowhere to
take a dip here!

Emperor penguin
This bird has many things that help
it to keep warm in icy Antarctica.
If you put it in the desert it would
Dromedary camel quickly overheat.

32
 Thorny devil
This spiky lizard lives in deserts
In the snow
in Australia. Unlike feathers or It’s a challenge to stay warm in snowy
hair, scales lose heat quickly so places. The Arctic fox has a thick coat
if it found itself in the snow this of hair to keep it cosy. Its fur is grey
lizard would freeze.
in the summer, but in winter its fur
is white to blend in with the snow.
This helps it to sneak up on prey.

The colours that usually

hide this lizard on sand
make it stand out against
the snow.

The thorny devil likes to

eat ants, but they would be
hard to find in icy places.
Arctic fox

Under the sea Green treefrog

Many types of animal are adapted to Frogs need fresh water to
living in the salty sea. The blacktip live. If a green treefrog fell
reef shark has a streamlined body to into the sea, the high
amount of salt would be
help it glide through the water and, Males ”quack“ to
toxic to it and it would die.
like all sharks, it has gills that allow attract mates, but
they wouldn’t be
it to breathe underwater. heard underwater.

Strong back legs are

useful for swimming,
but this frog prefers
to live on land.

Blacktip reef shark

33
Teeth Large canine tooth
Lio
ns
ku
ll
A quick trip to a dentist would
reveal a lot about what animals
eat for dinner. Most animals have
no teeth at all. Some animals, Carnassial teeth
such as reptiles, have only one Carnivore
type of tooth. Mammals have Animals that eat only meat are called
three types of teeth. Incisors at carnivores. Meat-eating mammals
include lions, tigers, and wolves. They
the front of the mouth cut into have long, pointed canines, which they
food, and canine teeth in the use to stab and grip prey. Their sharp
corners grab and tear. Molars at carnassial teeth work like shears to slice
meat into chunks for swallowing.
the back of the mouth chew and
grind food.

W!
WO
!
Snails have the
most teeth of any
animal. They have
thousands of tiny
teeth lined up
in rows.

Lion
Their teeth may be made
for killing, but male lions
let the females do most of
the hunting. When the
lionesses catch a meal,
such as a zebra, the male
lion always eats first.

34
 ll ll
ku
ku ra s
Zeb
es
Canine tooth
Chimpanze

Flat molars
Large incisors Wide, flat molars
Small incisors
Omnivore Herbivore
Animals that have a mixed diet of meat, Plant-eating animals, such as sheep,
fruit, and plants are called omnivores. cows, and zebras, are called herbivores.
Their incisors, canines, and molars give They use their incisors to snip off
them a mix of sharp and flat teeth for mouthfuls of grass and leaves. Their
eating different types of food. Raccoons, strong molar teeth have a large flat
hedgehogs, chimpanzees, and humans surface and they chew the tough food
are examples of omnivores. for a long time before swallowing.

Chimpanzee
Humans and
chimpanzees are
related. They both
have 32 teeth, but
chimpanzees have
larger canine teeth
than humans.

Zebra
Zebras live on the
huge grassy plains
of Africa. They move
around to find the
best grass to eat.

35
 Leaves

Food chains
No living thing can survive without food.
A food chain shows how a specific set of
plants and animals are linked together
by who eats what. Each arrow in a food
chain means “is eaten by”. The chain ends
when it reaches an animal that has no Producer
natural predators. If one link is removed, Almost every food chain
the chain will break. begins with a plant. These
plants are called “producers”
because they create, or
produce, their own food by
combining the energy in
sunlight with water and air.
Complete the food chains
Do you know which of the animals below fits toplankton
Phy
into the two incomplete food chains?
A
1 Coyote
This wild member of the dog family
lives in America, feasting on
animals, insects, and fruit.

2 Killer whale
The biggest member of the dolphin
family swims in the oceans, hunting Phytoplankton
marine life and seabirds. are tiny plants.

Grass
3 Octopus
This unusual animal uses its six
arms and two legs to search the
B
sea for fish and crabs.

4 Gazelle
At home in Africa and Asia, this
antelope leaps around the plains,
feeding on grass and shrubs.

36
 Caterpillar Robin Owl

Primary consumer Secondary consumer Tertiary consumer

Herbivores feed on plants. Animals that eat herbivores Tertiary consumers are mainly
They are the first, or primary, are secondary consumers. carnivores. They feed on
animals in the food chain They can be carnivores, which secondary consumers. This owl
and they eat, or consume, eat other animals, or is the end of this food chain,
producers. A caterpillar is a omnivores, which eat animals as it is not eaten by any other
primary consumer because it and plants. A robin is a animal, but other food chains
eats leaves. secondary consumer. can be shorter or longer.

Krill Peng
u in

? Clue:
Only a large marine animal
could manage to eat
a penguin.

Lion

?
Apex predator
An animal at the very top of
a food chain is called an apex
predator. These animals are
Clue: not hunted by anything. An
A large meal is needed to example is the African lion,
satisfy a lion’s enormous
which kills its prey but has
appetite.
no natural predators to
worry about.

37
Answers: A2 B4
Stalk Pounce
A red fox has such good hearing it can The fox dives headfirst
detect rodents, such as lemmings and mice, into the snow, using its
moving in their tunnels 1 m (3 ft) below the The fox’s ears
sharp claws to dig deeper
snow. It stalks its prey silently, ready to locate even the for the prey.
pounce in an instant. faintest sounds
of movement.

The back legs

launch the fox
into the air.

Front legs are

raised, ready
to pounce.

Hunting
Meat-eating animals must find food
W!
to survive. They have to detect, stalk, WO
and catch prey time after time. Hunting !
techniques are learned at a young
age from parents and during play. A great white shark
Solo predators, like foxes, use skill can smell blood in
and speed to catch prey, while pack water up to 5 km
animals, such as wolves, work as a (3 miles) away.
team to catch larger animals.

38
 Farming and herding
Leafcutter ants are the farmers of the insect world, working as a team
to grow fungus, which they eat. They carry leaves to their nest for the
fungus to grow on. Other ants keep herds of small plant-eating insects
called aphids, and feed on the honeydew they give out.

Ant carrying a leaf in its jaws. Ant feeding on honeydew.

The fox’s body

lands directly on
top of the target. Success!
The fox finds its meal, trapping the
rodent in its strong jaws before pulling
it to the surface to eat.

Its head is completely

buried in the snow.

The rodent has no

chance of escaping
the fox’s jaws.

39
Defences SPIKES

Survival in the animal kingdom

is not easy. With predators a
constant threat, animals have
adopted all kinds of different
defences to protect themselves.
For some, the best form of
POSTMAN CATERPILLAR
defence is attack. These animals
bite or kick, or rely on poison. look fierce to
Small animals may try to
caterpillars grow
avoid being eaten. Some
Others choose to lie low, hiding large spikes to make the
mselves difficult
rs also keep the
from danger or playing dead. to eat. Postman caterpilla
y eat to make
poison from the plants the
we ll!
themselves poisonous as

LE
START
PL AY DEAD

GM ANTIS
PRAYIN
ination
u s e s a comb ot OPOSSUM
antis to sp
aying m is hard
This pr es. Usually, it ied-up leaf. own deaths to
nc dr the Some animals fake their
of defe it looks like a ets too close, ginia opossum
e g
becaus , if a predator up its arms an
d avoid being eaten. If a Vir
and stops
How e ve r
tis o p e n s
that sees a predator, it curls up
af man colours it away. moving. This state can las
t for hours,
dead le shing bright re
fla nd sca making it look like it is de
ad . It even
wings, he attacker a dators leave
e t so pre
surpris releases a rotting smell,
sh pre y instead.
it alone and search for fre

40
 ARMOUR
W!
WO
!
Lizards like the tokay
gecko have got a
clever trick to escape
danger. If a predator
ARMADILLO grabs its tail, it
For slow-moving animals
, body armour
comes off and the
can be a life-saver. A hard
shell or tough gecko can run away!
skin can be a real challen
ge for a predator.
The three-banded armad
illo is covered in
overlapping bony plates
. When it rolls into
a ball there is no way for
a hungry hunter
to get to its head or soft
belly.

SHOAL
SMELL

SNAPPERS
SKUNK
A small fish
tra
Bad smells can keep preda target for p velling alone is an ea
tors away, redators. M sy
especially when the whiff such as the any fish sp
is like rotten se black sp ecies,
eggs! Skunks are too slow together in ot snappers
to escape at shoals of h , stick
speed, so they spray a fou individual undreds. E
l-smelling liquid fish gets lo ach
from their rear end. This is much ha st in the cro
eye-watering rder for a v wd, so it
scent is so powerful it can out by a pre ic tim to be si
be detected dator. ngled
1.6 km (1 mile) away.

41
Camouflage
Animals use colours, patterns, or even shapes to blend in
with their surroundings. This is called camouflage, and
some animals are masters of deception. Danger is part of
life in the animal kingdom, but camouflage is a great
survival technique to avoid hungry predators or to sneak
up on prey.

Spot the
moth!
Can you find the
moth hiding on this
tree bark?

42
 Hide and seek
There are many ways in which animals hide from
each other. Some copy an object, such as a flower,
or change colour completely, while other animals
group together to have safety in numbers.

Lookalike
Is it a twig? Is it a leaf?
No! It’s a leaf-tailed
gecko from Madagascar!
Some animals mimic
(copy) an object in their
surroundings, such as a
dead leaf, so a predator
Leaf-tailed gecko won’t recognize them.

Herd of zebras
Double vision
Stripes offer camouflage
in the grasslands as
patterns blend in with fol
iage. Faced with a herd
zebras, a predator will str of
uggle to choose a single
target in the sea of stripe
s.

Disguised moth
It is easy to miss a Colour change
peppered moth, but Some crab spiders can
look again. When this change colour from
moth rests flat against white to yellow to
a tree, its patterned match the flowers they
wings merge perfectly live on. Then they can
with the bark. creep up on their
Can you see the crab spider catching insect prey, such as
the hoverfly? this hoverfly.

43
Attracting mates
It is often the males of the animal kingdom that have
to win over a mate. By showing off their good looks
or their best dance routine, they demonstrate to
females that they are healthy and strong. They are
keen to prove themselves as the best fathers to their
future offspring.

A large number
of brightly coloured
eyespots catches the
female’s attention.

Showing off
The peacock’s mating ritual is
a stunning show in which he
struts around with pretty
patterned feathers fanned out
behind him. The female
peahen looks at his tail display
to decide whether he is a
suitable mate.

The peahen has dull

brown feathers to help
her hide from predators.

44
 Animal attraction
Males don’t stop at visual displays. Some go
to much greater lengths to find a mate, such
as giving presents or fighting each other to
There can be up to
150 feathers in a see who is stronger.
male peacock‘s tail.

This male nursery web spider is giving a gift

of an insect wrapped in silk to persuade the
female to take him as her mate.

Male bowerbirds create a beautiful display to

attract the females, decorating their ”bowers“
with their favourite colourful items.

Male giraffes fight by slamming their necks

against each other. Whoever comes out on
top in the contest shows their strength and
wins the female.

45
 Life cycle of a frog
The changes to an animal’s body from the beginning of its life until
its death is called the life cycle. Most amphibians, such as frogs, start
life looking very different to their parents. The incredible process
by which a tiny tadpole changes shape as it grows older and finally
reaches its adult form is called metamorphosis.

B I T!
B
RI RIBBIT!

An adult male common frog sits

near a pond and calls out loudly The male frog and the female frog meet in the
to attract the attention of a water and he holds onto her. When the female lays
female frog. her eggs, the male fertilizes them.

Between one and three weeks

later, the eggs hatch into tiny,
legless tadpoles. They have gills
for breathing in the water.

Mouth

Gills for
breathing
The female frog lays hundreds of Tail for
eggs, called frogspawn, in the water. swimming
Each egg is protected by a thick
layer of jelly.

46
 !
YUM The front legs develop next, and the body
DELICI changes to look more like that of a frog.
O US! The tadpole is now big enough to eat small
animals, such as water fleas.

Tail starts
to shrink

Water fleas

Each tadpole feeds on algae

and other tiny plants. It
grows bigger, and its back
legs start to form after five
weeks or so.

HOME
SW
After 14 weeks, the HOME EET
tadpole has changed !
into a miniature frog.
Instead of gills, the
froglet now has lungs
so it can breathe air.
The froglet can swim
in water, hop on land,
and catch insects,
such as small flies.

In spring, the adult frog returns to the

pond where it was born. It is ready to find
a mate, and the life cycle begins for a
new generation.

47
 Match each baby animal with the parents below.

2
1
3
This baby must eat a
lot to prepare for its This swimming
transformation. nymph has not
yet developed
its wings.

This chick
starts life with
downy feathers.

A C
B

Dragonfly Brush-tailed possum Leaf monkey

Newborn animals may live in This Australian marsupial has Leaf monkeys live in Asia’s
different habitats to their a big, bushy tail and is covered rainforests. The adults have
parents. Dragonfly babies, or in thick fur. Females carry one dark grey fur, but the babies
nymphs, live underwater, but baby, called a joey, inside a are brightly coloured so their
fly in the open air as adults. protective pouch. mothers can find them.

Baby animals
In the animal kingdom, there is not always a family
resemblance between babies and their parents. Newborns
may have different colours, textures, and patterns, or even
take another shape before they mature into adulthood.
Try this quiz to see if you can identify who are the parents
of these baby animals.
48
 Spots and stripes
provide camouflage
for this baby. 5

6
4 This tiny baby is born
without hair and with
This newborn has
orange fur for its
its eyes closed.
first six months.

F
D
E

Budgerigar Tapir Butterfly

These colourful birds are the Related to rhinoceroses and Some insects, like butterflies,
smallest members of the horses, tapirs begin life with change into adults through
parrot family. Baby birds are protective camouflage. Adults an amazing process called
born covered in fluffy down lose this pattern as predators metamorphosis. Their body
before growing full feathers. are less of a threat. changes shape completely.

Seeing
double
Sometimes there is no
mistaking who is the
mother or father.
These newborns look
like miniature versions
A baby lizard catches a Baby guinea pigs stay This baby seahorse is a
of their parents.
ride on its mother’s back. close to their mother. tiny version of its father.

49
Answer: 1D 2F 3A 4E 5B 6C
 Deadly animals
Approach this lot at your peril! Not all animals are
furry and friendly. Some specialize in producing
Actual size
poisons or venom. Poison is deadly if touched, but
venom must be injected to have its toxic effect.
Poisons can put off potential predators, but
venomous fangs can be used to kill prey.

Box jellyfishr of the

ge
This scar y stin instant.
il l in an
seas can k
o mous
Each long ven
ins 5,000
tentacle conta
ith the power
stinging cells w er marine
oth
to kill fish and
eople, so
life, and even p se to one!
clo
don’t swim too
t
s 200 differen
This jellyfish ha s venom.
chemicals in it

Inland taipan
Nicknamed “the fierce
One bite from snake”, Australia’s
an inland taipan inland taipan has the
contains enough most toxic venom of any
venom to kill
100 people!
snake in the world. Rats
are its main prey and
they are bitten several
times before the snake
swallows them whole.

Despite its nickname, this

snake is actually very shy
and is rarely seen.

50
Golden poison dart frog
This frog has poisonous skin, and is the
most poisonous animal in the world.
A single golden poison dart frog could kill
10 people, but it is only found in the
Colombian rainforest.

Brazilian wandering
spider
The Brazilian wandering spider is a
fast mover. In towns and cities, it
hides during the day in dark places,
such as a log pile or an old box, and
will give a potentially fatal bite if it is
accidentally disturbed.

Faking it
Bright colours often mean an animal is
deadly. Venomous coral snakes are so

MOST POISONOUS!
feared that harmless milk snakes have
changed over time to look like them. The
milk snake’s skin now looks so similar to the
coral snake’s that predators avoid them.

IMPOSTER!

Harmless milk snake

Deathstalker scorpion
Venomous coral
Taking the title of most deadly anima
l is the snake
deathstalker scorpion. Although its
venom is
less toxic than others, this desert sco
rpion kills
the most people because it is aggress
ive, striking
at night, and stinging on sight.

51
 Meet the expert
We meet Professor David Macdonald, director
of the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit
(WildCRU) at the University of Oxford, UK. He
and his team study lots of animals around the
world, but have a special interest in lions.

Q: We know it is something to do with tigers, are killing and eating their cattle. So I
animals, but what is your actual job? will try to find a way to help the animals and
A: Wildlife conservation means trying to people to live alongside each other.
help animals that are in danger of dying Q: What made you decide to try to help
out in the wild. This may be because too to save lions?
many are being hunted by people, or for A: I chose lions because their numbers are
other reasons. For example, there may be falling fast. There are just over 20,000 lions
a problem with people becoming angry left in Africa today, compared to 100,000
because wild animals, such as leopards or only 50 years ago.

Radio tracking
One way of keeping
track of a group of
lions is to place a radio
transmitter around the
neck of one of them.

A receiver is used
to pick up the si
from the lioness gnals
sleep ’s radio collar.
This lioness has been given a drug to make her
radio colla r is fitted aroun d her neck .
while a new

52
Q: What is a usual work day for you?
A: One day I might be out in the field
searching for wild animals or signs of their
activities. The next day might be spent
talking to local villagers or working with
people to come up with a law that will
protect the animals. I also spend a lot of
Releasing a young badger back
time looking at the information we have into its home wood.
collected on the animals.
Studying badgers
Q: Do you need special equipment to Professor Macdonald also studies badgers in
study wild animals? the UK. They are caught, measured, and
weighed every four months.
A: Wildlife conservation needs a mix of
traditional skills and modern technology.
Sometimes we can find an animal by looking
Q: What are the best and worst
for its footprints, but we also use satellites
things about your job?
in space to follow the movements of lions
across hundreds of kilometres. A: Many wild animals are in danger and
often the problems are difficult to solve.
Q: Is it dangerous tracking lions?
However, the best thing about my
A: Working with big, fierce animals work is improving the lives of
like lions is less dangerous than both the animals and the
much of city life, so long as you people living close to them.
understand their behaviour I also get to work in
and treat them with care. beautiful places with
Q: What are the biggest amazing animals.
problems for lions and
what can you do to
help them?
A: Losing places where
they can live and hunt in
safety, and upsetting local
people even though they
don’t mean to. We help by
showing villagers how they
can keep their cattle safe from
lions, and we use satellite tracking
to warn them when the lions are
moving towards their farms.

53
Animals and us
The ancestors of today’s domesticated animals once
ran wild. Over thousands of years, humans have taken
different types of wild animal and changed the way
they look and behave. Animals provide us with food,
clothing, transport, and labour, and we have Large, floppy ears on
a small head look
welcomed them into our homes as pets. attractive to people.

Short legs and a long

body mean this small
dog could squeeze into
Dachshunds can be
a badger’s home.
long-haired, short-haired,
or wire-haired, and their fur
can be different colours.
FACT FILE

Dogs Dachshund
There are about 350 breeds of dog. » Length: 32–60 cm (12–24 in)
Today, most dogs are kept as pets, » Weight: 4–12 kg (9–26 lb)
but they were originally bred to
perform different tasks. Dachshunds » Diet: Dried dog food, meat, bones, biscuits
were once used to track badgers » Habitat: Homes
underground. » Life expectancy: 12–15 years

Useful animals Chickens are kept

for their meat and the
eggs that the hens lay.
Some domestic animals, such Their feathers may be
as dogs and cats, live in our used to fill pillows.
homes and are treated like
members of the family. Other
animals are kept for more Cats are good at
catching pests
practical reasons. like rats and mice
as well as being a
furry friend.

54
 Large, sensitive ears
WOW!
help wolves detect prey
and hear each other howl. !
An adult
grey wolf’s howl
can be heard from
as far as 10 km
(6 miles) away!
Long, strong legs
mean wolves can
travel long distances
looking for prey.
Thick fur coat
keeps the wolf warm
in cold weather.

FACT FILE

Grey wolf Wolves

» Length: 1–1.5 m (3–5 ft) The grey wolf is the ancestor of all the
» Weight: 16–60 kg (35–130 lb) different types of pet dog. It lives in
packs of about eight adults, led by a
» Diet: Elk, deer, reindeer, rabbits, squirrels, fish top male and female pair. By hunting
» Habitat: Forests, mountains, northern polar regions as a team, wolves can catch very
» Life expectancy: 6–13 years large animals.

Llamas are hardy One cow can produce

pack animals, several litres of milk
helping people every day. Cows are
transport heavy also kept for their
loads. Their wool meat, called beef, and
is used to make their skin is used to
warm clothing. make leather.

55
Animal facts Giant pandas
spend up to 16 hours
a day eating

and figures
bamboo.

Animals are a fascinating group. Here are

some weird and wonderful facts you might
not know about them!

A vampire bat
can drink 50 per cent of its
body weight in blood in just
30 minutes.
S o ut h A m
eric
a’s
bas
ilis
k lizar
d ca
nr
un
on
wa
ter
.

47,000,000
red crabs walk from the forests of
Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean
down to the sea every year. Their
journey takes the crabs about a week.

56
 Hummingbirds
An Arabian oryx are the only bird that can
fly backwards!
can smell rain falling up to
80 km (50 miles) away.

Hummingbirds
flap their wings
about 60 times
per second
when hovering.

In 1960, British
chimpanzee expert
Jane Goodall
discovered that chimps
can make and
use tools.

Chimp using a
rock to crack
a nut.

18
is the number
3
is the number of
A m ole c

of hours that hearts that an

a koala sleeps octopus has.
every day. The
rest of their time an
tun
is spent eating nel through 100 m (330 ft) of soil in a day.
and resting.

57
Top animals
test on land
Fas

Animals are amazing! From the fastest,

loudest, strongest, and tallest to the
smallest animal of all, every record-
breaking animal is a winner. How do you
think you would compare to the animals The cheetah can reach a speed of
shown here? 115 kph (70 mph) in just 3 seconds.
The fastest a human has ever run is
45 kph (28 mph).

ongest anima aviest spider est anima

Str l He Tall l

The dung beetle can pull a weight A female Goliath birdeater weighs The giraffe is the world’s tallest
that is 1,141 times heavier than its about 170 g (6 oz), which is roughly living animal, stretching up to
own body. That is the equivalent of the same weight as a medium-sized 6 m (20 ft) thanks to its long legs
a human pulling six buses at once. apple. The male is much smaller. and extremely long neck.

vi rtest life spa st-diving b

est-li ng anim o epe
ng a Sh n e ird
Lo D
l

The giant barrel sponge can live for Adult mayflies live for only one The emperor penguin can dive
up to 2,300 years. That is more than 10 day. They do not feed, and they die as deep as 565 m (1,850 ft). It stays
times as long as the bowhead whale, after they have found a mate and underwater for up to 22 minutes
which is the longest-lived mammal. the female has laid her eggs. as it hunts for prey.

58
 test in wate g es t l e a p diving ma
Fas r Lon p est mm
ee

al
The sailfish can swim at a speed The snow leopard can leap as far as Cuvier’s beaked whale can dive to
of 110 kph (68 mph) in short 15 m (50 ft) when chasing after prey depths of almost 3 km (1.9 miles).
bursts. That means it can swim 10 such as wild goats. That is about One whale stayed underwater for a
times its body length in 1 second. 15 times its body length. record 2 hours and 18 minutes.

llest bird allest insec est anim

Sma Sm t Lou
d al

The bee hummingbird is 5 cm Fairyflies are too tiny to see. The The pistol shrimp snaps its claws to
(2 in) long, and weighs just 1.6 g smallest fairyfly is 0.16 mm (3⁄500 in) make a bubble of air in water. When
(just over 1⁄20 oz). It lays eggs that long, and would easily fit inside the it bursts, the 218 decibel sound
are smaller than a pea. full stop at the end of this sentence. produced is louder than a gunshot.

llest mamm gest anima st d

istance tra
Sm
a al L ar l e ve
ng l
le
Lo

Kitti’s hog-nosed bat weighs as The blue whale is 33 m (108 ft) long The Arctic tern flies 71,000 km
little as 1.5 g (1⁄20 oz) and is 3 cm and weighs 150 tonnes (165 tons). (44,000 miles) between the Arctic
(just over 1 in) long. It is also It is roughly as big as a jumbo jet, and Antarctica and back every year,
called the bumblebee bat. and its heart is the size of a small car. for up to 30 years.

59
 Glossary cold-blooded Animal with a
body temperature that goes
up and down to match the
Here are the meanings of some words that surrounding air or water
temperature
are useful for you to know when learning
about animals. conservation Trying to stop
an animal or plant from
becoming extinct
adaptation Way in which arthropod Group of
an animal or plant becomes invertebrates with a tough coral Hard outer skeleton of
better-suited to its habitat. outer skeleton and a body tiny sea animals, which can
For example, a penguin’s divided into segments build up into widespread
thick feathers keep it warm reefs in warm seas
in icy places birds Warm-blooded
vertebrates with feathers courtship Special types of
amphibians Cold-blooded that can usually fly animal behaviour, which are
vertebrates that start life attempts to attract a mate
in water before moving camouflage Colours or
between land and water patterns on an animal’s skin, domesticated Animals kept
when fully grown fur, or feathers that help it as pets or on farms. They
merge with the environment may have been raised in a
ancestor Animal or plant to house or on a farm
which a more recent animal carnivore Animal that eats
or plant is related only meat environment Surroundings
in which an animal or
aquatic Something that lives cartilage A tough but plant lives
in water flexible material found in
animals and that makes up extinction When all of a
armour Naturally hard the skeletons of sharks particular animal or plant
body covering that provides species die out and there are
protection for an animal A chameleon is none left in the world
cold-blooded.
gills Organs of fish and some
amphibians that allow them
to breathe underwater

habitat Natural home

environment of an
animal or plant

60
 A frog is an
amphibian.
herbivore Animal that eats plumage Word used to
only plant matter describe all of the feathers
of a bird
invertebrate Animal
without a backbone poison Harmful substance
released by an animal or
lungs Breathing organs plant that may be deadly if
found inside the body of touched or eaten
vertebrates
predator Animal that hunts symmetrical Shape with
mammals Warm-blooded other living animals for food two perfectly matching parts
vertebrates that have skin
covered in hair and feed their prehensile Grasping body temperate Area or climate
young milk part, such as the tail of a with mild temperatures
chameleon
marine Describes animals toxic Substance that is
and plants that live in the sea prey Animal that is hunted dangerous, such as poison
for food
metamorphosis Process tropical Area or climate
by which some animals primate Group of mammals, with hot temperatures and
transform themselves into a which includes monkeys high rainfall
different form from youth to
adulthood. For example, a reproduce To have young vegetation Plant life found
tadpole becomes a frog in a particular habitat
reptiles Cold-blooded
microhabitat Small habitat, vertebrates with scaly skin venom Harmful substance
such as the underside of a leaf that reproduce by laying released by an animal or
eggs, such as snakes, lizards, plant that may be deadly if
mimic Animal that copies and crocodiles injected into the skin, by a
the appearance or behaviour sting or fangs
of another scavenger Animal that
feeds on the leftover meat vertebrate Animal with a
nocturnal Animals that are of another animal that backbone
active at night, when they has already died, whether
hunt or feed by a predator attack or warm-blooded Animal that
natural causes keeps a constant body
nutrients Different types temperature
of food that animals need species Specific types
to survive of animals or plants with
shared features that can
omnivore Animal that eats mate and produce young
both plant matter and meat together

61
 Index
A cheetahs 58 fins 18, 19, 29
adaptation 32–33 chickens 54 fish 6, 18–19, 27, 28–29,
alligators 14 chimpanzees 35, 57 41
amphibians 7, 16–17 cold-blooded animals 14 food 24
anglerfish 29 comb jellies 28 food chains 36–37
anteaters 10 communication 5 forest habitats 24–27
ants 39 compound eyes 23 foxes 11, 30, 33, 38–39
apex predators 37 conservation 52–53 frogs 16, 33, 46–47,
Arabian oryxes 57 consumers 37 50–51
arachnids 20 coral reefs 27 fur 8, 33
Arctic hares 27 cows 55
Arctic terns 59 coyotes 36 G
armadillos 11, 41 crabs 21, 31, 56 gazelles 36
axolotls 16–17 crickets 23 geckos 41, 43
crocodiles 14 gills 16–17, 18, 46–47
B crustaceans 21 giraffes 10, 45, 58
badgers 31, 53 gorillas 10
bats 11, 56, 59 D guinea pigs 49
bears 10, 27, 30 defence 40–43 gulls 13
beavers 30 dogs 54
bees 23 dolphins 10 H
bills 12 domestic animals 54–55 habitats 10–11, 24–29,
birds 7, 12–13, 25 dragonflies 48 32
blackbirds 13 ducks 13 hawks 13
body armour 41 dung beetles 58 hedgehogs 11
bowerbirds 45 herbivores 35, 37
breathing 4 E herons 13
budgerigars 49 eagles 27, 38 homes 30–31
butterflies 49 eggs 9, 13, 14, 16, 18, 46 hummingbirds 57, 59
elephants 9, 11 hunting 38–39, 55
C eyes 15, 23
caecilians 17 I
camels 10, 32 F insects 20, 22–23
camouflage 42–43 fairyflies 59 invertebrates 20–21
carnivores 34, 37, 38–39 fangtooths 28
caterpillars 37, 40 feathers 12, 32, 44–45 J
cats 54 feeding 4 jawless fish 19
chameleons, panther 14–15 feelers 20, 22–23 jellyfish 21, 50

62
K P snakes 15, 27, 50–51
kiwis 13 packs 38, 55 snow leopards 59
koalas 11, 57 pandas, giant 56 spiders 30, 43, 45, 51, 58
krill 37 parrots 13 spiny devils 33
peacocks 44–45 sponges 21, 58
L penguins 13, 32, 37, 58 squirrels 10, 31
lampreys 19 phytoplankton 36 starfish 21
leopards 11, 25 pigeons 13
life cycles 46–47 placental mammals 9 T
lions 34, 37, 52–53 possums, brush-tailed 48 tadpoles 46–47
lizards 6, 14–15, 41, 49, producers 36 tails 13, 14, 19
56 tapirs 49
llamas 55 R tardigrades 29
reproduction 5 teeth 6, 18, 34–35
M reptiles 7, 14–15 tenrecs, common 9
mammals 6, 8–11, 34 rhinoceroses 11 termites 31
manatees 10 rock pools 26 toads 16
mantises 25, 40 rollers, lilac-breasted 12–13 tortoises 15
marsupials 9 turtles 15
mates, attracting 44–45 S
mayflies 58 sailfish 59 V
metamorphosis 46 salamanders 17 venom 50–51
microhabitats 27 scales 14, 19, 33 vertebrates 6–7
milk 8, 9 scorpions 20, 51
moles 11, 57 sea cucumbers 29 W
molluscs 20 sea otters 9, 11 warm-blooded animals 8
monkeys 11, 25, 48 sea urchins 21 wasps 22–23, 31
monotremes 9 seahorses 49 water 24
moths 42–43 seals 9, 11 webs 30
movement 4 senses 5 whales 9, 10–11, 36, 59
sharks 19, 33 wildebeest 27
N shells 20, 31 wings 6, 12–13, 20, 22–23
nests 13, 31 shelter 24, 30 wolves 38, 55
newts 17 shoals 41 worms 21
shrimps, pistol 59
O silkworms 22 Y
octopuses 29, 36, 57 skeletons 6–7 young 8, 9, 13, 14, 16, 48–49
omnivores 35, 37 skin 14, 16
opossums 40 skinks, monkey-tailed 25 Z
orangutans 25 skunks 41 zebras 11, 35, 43
owls 13, 37 smell 5, 41
oxygen 4 snails 20, 34

63
 Acknowledgements
The publisher would like to thank the following people for their assistance: Ruth O’Rourke and
Kathleen Teece for editorial assistance, Alexandra Beeden for proofreading, Helen Peters for compiling
the index, Neeraj Bhatia for cutouts, and Gary Ombler for photography. The publishers would also like
to thank Professor David Macdonald and his team at the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit
(WildCRU) for the “Meet the expert” interview, and Martin French of Bugz UK and Mark Amey of
Amey Zoo for animals and handling.

The publisher would like to thank the Shah. 27 Corbis: Jim Brandenburg / Minden Ben Mcleish (bc). 51 Alamy Images: Barry Turner
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64