FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
The animals need to defend themselves against their predators.
Often animals are hunted by other animals for food. In order to save their skin, they develop certain defense mechanisms.
Sometimes, animals are hunted by humans for consuming their meat as food or for purposes like using their skin, tusks for making valuable items. Even though hunting of certain animals which are endangered is banned and when caught can be charged a huge penalty. Thus, for factors as mentioned above the animals that are preyed upon need to protect themselves from being preyed on. Thus, the defense mechanism works in protecting them.
Some common methods of defending themselves include poisoning the predator, camouflaging, using sharp teeth and claws, and various adaptations like echolocating. Not all animals have the same defense mechanism. It works in different ways in different animals. All these are quite effective in their purpose. The defense mechanism works in two ways.
While in one way they use this mechanism to strike their predator and in the second mechanism they adapt themselves often camouflaging themselves to avoid being noticed by their predators. Often there exist various insects which spray fumes or toxic saliva which can cause harmful reactions. Insects like potato beetles cover themselves or their entire body with their own toxic feces in order to keep predators away. After reading about self-defense mechanisms in animals, also check out facts about the rarest animals and scavenger animals.
While every species main objective is to protect themselves including humans and therefore in order to defend themselves they develop certain mechanisms which are called defense mechanisms. Self-defense can work in many ways like countering the attack of a predator or using tactics to camouflage oneself in order to escape the eyes of the predator.
It is natural for the animal species occupying a high position in the food chain to hunt animals occupying a lower position. Henceforth, the animals must protect themselves. Certain defense mechanisms include animals pretending that they are dead and this method is called thanatosis. Certain animals like snakes can give off a foul smell that makes the predator think that the animal is dead and is decaying.
Mimicry is another such feature that helps in protecting some animals. Often poisonless, snakes have bright skin color which makes predators think that it is a poisonous snake and thus avoids it. Often certain animals mimic the call of other animals like the African fork-tailed drongo bird which can copy the call of a meerkat. The meerkat runs away and the drongo bird eats up the leftovers. Again there are animals that take advantage of their physical features.
Like the porcupine, which is covered with spines, can pierce the skin of a predator who attacks the animal. Similarly, a turtle has a hard shell that is difficult to be broken by predators. Like physical features, certain animals exhibit some chemical features like the dart frog which can secrete a poisonous chemical that comes out of its skin to drive predators away. Animals consuming a dart frog will die or fall sick.
Pufferfish can inflate into a ball to escape its predators.
Different animals exhibit different types of defense mechanisms in order to protect themselves. While certain fowl odor chemical secretions are quite disgusting, there are other examples of defense mechanisms too.
According to recent research, a deep-sea squid after attacking its predator loosens its own arm away and thus loses its arm. While the arm continues to move for some time thus distracting the predator it also gives the squid an ample amount of time to escape.
Another example is the Texas horned lizard which has spikes all over its body and horns that can wave a predator away. However, there can be times when the predator might not be scared of those and then the lizard shoots out blood from its eyes which can cover a distance of 5 ft (1.5 m) and is composed of a chemical that has a foul odor and drives predators away. However, this can cause a decrease in the body mass of the lizard.
There also exists the hairy frog which breaks its own bones and uses it as a weapon to protect itself from predators. Quite similarly, a newt when facing a threat pushes its ribs in such a way that it forms a row of spikes that keeps away predators.
As mentioned, prey develops different methods to defend itself from the attack.
The most common method is developing certain signs all of a sudden. Certain animals have certain portions of their body that are not visible at once to a predator. In such cases, when these animals are attacked, they display their unrevealed parts which startle a predator and either keep them away or they are shocked and the prey escapes.
This type of method is used by an io moth living in North America. They will reveal certain spots which look like eyespots and drive the predators away.
These are actually a bunch of signals that a prey uses for convincing the predators to not run after or pursue them.
In this type of mechanism, the prey tries to convince the predator by showing certain symbols and communicating with them. Signs like this are shown by them and it keeps the predator informed that it is not good to pursue them.
Predators and prey exist coherently.
Without prey, a predator can't exist. Similarly, a predator is needed to keep the population of prey in check. It is a concept designed by nature and according to the food chain, the sequence is developed. An animal having a higher position will always consume an animal obtaining a lower position in a food chain. Tigers hunt deer but a deer will never hunt a tiger. This type of relationship is needed to balance nature.
Anti-predator adaptation is a method in which the prey passes without being noticed by the predators.
Also known as camouflaging, this method proves to be quite helpful. The animals that camouflage have a body designed in such a manner that they hide in leaves or in between grass so they can't be noticed by predators.
This method includes living underground, apostatic selection, masquerade, and many other features. The most common example is a chameleon which can change its skin color according to the color of the surface on which it lands.
Creatures such as insects (older worker bugs, bombardier beetles), protect themselves from other animals when threatened by using camouflage and distinctive body coverings. Besides insects, small fish use this to hide from big fish. The majority of birds, fish, and mammals can detect danger signals when threatened. Monarch butterflies, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, central African species of frogs have their own defense mechanisms against potential predators.
These signals cause them to naturally seek higher ground or bunker down in harsh weather to keep safe when they feel threatened. Some animals might attack when they feel threatened with a toxic chemical or a toxic liquid. Animals with sharp spikes have a different defense mechanism to protect themselves, animals with thin strands have a different defense mechanism to protect themselves, sedentary creatures have a different defense mechanism to protect themselves, a hairy frog (especially male frogs) have a different defense mechanism to protect itself, a boxer crab has a different way to defend itself. Some species play dead, whereas some species fight back.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for animal self-defense then why not take a look at savanna animals, or prey animals.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising.
We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published.
Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.
We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
Was this article helpful?
We’ll send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out.
Check your inbox for your latest news from us. You have subscribed to:
Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter.