Animals

Animals

Author: Andrea Mills
Consultant: Dr Katie Parsons

Editor Olivia Stanford Contents
Designer Lucy Sims
Project art editor Joanne Clark 4 What is an animal?
Senior editor Gill Pitts 6 Vertebrates
Managing editor Laura Gilbert 8 Mammals
Managing art editor Diane Peyton Jones 10 Where mammals live
Picture research Surya Sarangi 12 Birds
Pre-production producer Nadine King 14 Reptiles
Producer Srijana Gurung 16 Amphibians
Art director Martin Wilson 18 Fish
Publisher Sarah Larter 20 Invertebrates
Publishing director Sophie Mitchell 22 Insects
24 What is a habitat?
Educational consultant Jacqueline Harris
x
First published in Great Britain in 2016 by Cat
Dorling Kindersley Limited Red fo

80 Strand, London, WC2R 0RL

Copyright © 2016 Dorling Kindersley Limited
A Penguin Random House Company
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
001–291664–July/2016

All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in

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

Printed and bound in China

A WORLD OF IDEAS:
SEE ALL THERE IS TO KNOW

www.dk.com

Giant rainforest mantis

2

Butterfly

26 Types of habitat 48 Baby animals
28 Deep and dark
30 Animal homes 50 Deadly animals
32 Adaptation
34 Teeth 52 Meet the expert
36 Food chains
38 Hunting 54 Animals and us
40 Defences
42 Camouflage 56 Animal facts and figures
44 Attracting mates
46 Life cycle of a frog 58 Top animals

60 Glossary Tarantula
62 Index
64 Acknowledgements

Leopard tortoise

Goldfish Parr
Gorilla
ot

Fir
e salamander

3

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

Moving Powerful back legs allow
grasshoppers to jump
Animals move around in a variety of ways, 20 times their own body
including hopping, jumping, running, length in a single leap.

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
to send a message.
unicating
Comm

Reproducing Reptiles use their tongues to smell their surrou n dings.

Some female animals, such as seals, grow Sensing
their young inside their bellies before giving
birth. The babies may stay with their mother If an animal is to stay alive, it is vital for it
for a while to learn how to find food and avoid to be able to sense what is happening
predators. Other animals, including birds and
some reptiles and insects, lay eggs and protect around it. The five major senses that animals
use are sight, hearing, smell, taste, and
them until the newborns hatch.
touch. Some animals have extra senses and
Mother seal 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 Mammals have a The small bones
large brain, which of the backbone
Only mammals have a is protected by are called
lower jaw that is hinged their hard skull. vertebrae.
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.

Carp sk Fish The ribcage
ele ton provides a
The first vertebrates were protective casing
6 fish. Most fish, including for the internal
carp, have a hard, bony organs, such as the
skeleton. However, sharks heart and lungs.

and rays have a softer
skeleton, which is made

of a flexible material
called cartilage.

Pigeon s keleton

Reptiles Birds

Reptiles have highly bendy Birds have special bodies that
backbones. Whether they allow them to fly. Their arms
have four legs, like lizards, or no have become wings and their
legs at all, like snakes, most skeleton has strong, but light
reptiles are fast movers and
bones, which makes flying
efficient hunters. easier. Only birds have

Lizard skeleton feathers, which keep them
Tiger skeleton warm and help them fly.

Frog skeleton

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

1 Sea otters have the thickest fur There are more than 5,000 different
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 and raised.
baby for an incredible 22 months
before they give birth. Echidna
egg
3 A common tenrec holds the
record for the most young born A baby Egg-laying mammals
in one litter. She had 32 babies. kangaroo Monotremes are the
Tenrecs are small mammals that is known only mammals to lay
live in Madagascar. as a joey. eggs. Echidnas, or
spiny anteaters, and the
4 Blue whale babies are the largest duck-billed platypus
on Earth. They weigh 2.5 tonnes from Australia are the
(2.7 tons) when they are born. two types of monotreme
alive today.
5 Hooded seal mothers produce
milk that is more than 60 per cent
fat. That is richer than ice cream.

Milk Pouched mammals
Marsupials are
Female mammals mammals that carry
produce milk to feed their babies in a pouch
their young. The babies to keep them safe.
suckle from their Australia is home to
mothers to drink the many marsupials,
milk, which is packed including kangaroos
with all the nutrients and koalas.
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 Camels store fat in their humps. Giraffes
meat-eating animals
(carnivores) living have
on land.

the

Squirrels use their longest
bushy tail for balance
when running along neck
branches.
of
s.
any
Land
Gorillas are the largest of all the primate living
There are more types of
mammal on land because p ants and termites thro animal.
there are so many different ugh
places where they can live.
This might be a desert, Anteaters Iap u their
a leafy forest, or even
underground. tubelike

snout.

Sea Dolphins are M anatees are slow-movers.
fast swimmers
Mammals living in the sea and Iike to
can stay underwater for leap out of
long periods of time. Their the water.
streamlined shape helps
to make them very good
at swimming.
10

Air
Most bats are nocturnal, which
Elephants are the largest animals that live on land. Fruit bats are also means they are active at night.
Zebras Iive in large herds o known as flying They fly around, hunting for
os have armour-like ski foxes. Some feed flying insects, such as moths,
during the day. and other food.

hinoceroses have thick, tough skin.
Armadill
R Koalas are
marsupials (pouched
Leo mammals), which
at h spend most of their
ght. time in trees.

n grassy plains. Hares have large

ears so they can

listen out for unt at ni

predators.

pards are big cats th Monkeysare very clever.

n.

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

Whales are the largest animals alive today.

Seals dive deep looking for food. Sea otters
spend most
of their time
in water.

11

Lilac-breasted roller Feathers Close-up of a flight feathe
This bird is easy to spot in
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 bird living all over the world. They come
the parents keep the eggs warm, taking it in in all shapes, sizes, and colours. Some are
turns to sit on them. When the time is right, big, such as a heron, with a long bill and
the chicks peck their way out of the shell. large wings. Others are small, but have a
very loud song, like a blackbird.
These eggs are ready to hatch.
brightly coloured. ly and only live in Ne
Tail Parro
ts are w Zealand.
The tail is used like a rudder to ci
steer when flying, or for balance
when the bird is perched on a Kiwis cannot f
branch or walking on the ground. ties.
Pigeons often live in
Feet
Hawks sea.
Birds are bipedal, which have
means they stand and walk excellent
on two feet. They have eyesight.
between two and four toes,
which end in a sharp claw. Ducks have ulls feed n or near thei
webbed feet
Wings for swimming.

Instead of arms with hands, G
birds have wings. Birds fly
either by flapping their wings Herons use ight. Blackbirds have
or using them to glide in the their long legs a beautiful song.
air. A few birds can also hover. to wade in
water. swimmers but cannot fly.

Owls are active at n

Penguins are good 13

Reptiles Scaly skin

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

Other Tail
reptiles
As well as helping the
Crocodiles and alligators walk chameleon to balance, its
on all four legs on land and long prehensile tail is used
use their long, powerful tails to hold on to branches.
to swim in water. Snakes have
no legs and move by flexing Crocodiles and alligators Crocodiles have a
their long body. Tortoises and The biggest reptiles are crocodiles and more pointed snout
turtles are the only reptiles alligators. They hunt in lakes, rivers, and than alligators.
with a bony shell, which coastal areas. Their strong jaws and sharp
protects the body like a teeth can kill prey as large as zebras.
suit of armour.
Siamese crocodile
14

Panther chameleon Eye
Chameleons are a special type
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 they can both look at the
and eat mostly insects. 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 Thebpacakntwhiethr cihtsapmreeyleionnj’us stto0n.g0u0e7fsleipcsoonudts!and

The two sets of toes on
each of the chameleon’s
feet give it a pincer-like
grip as it moves along
a branch.

King cobra A threatened cobra rears Tortoises and turtles
up and spreads its hood. Tortoises live on land and walk quite slowly
on all four legs. Turtles spend most of their
Snakes time in water and and have webbed feet or
All snakes catch live prey, which they
swallow whole. Some snakes, such as flippers for swimming.
cobras, kill their prey by injecting
This tortoise
venom into them using their has just
two needle-like teeth, hatched.
called fangs.
Leopard tortoise

15

Amphibians Toads

Amphibians begin their life in water, Although they look like
where they breathe with gills. Most frogs, toads are larger and
amphibians then grow a pair of lungs so 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.

Frogs Common frog European green toad

Unlike other amphibians, Flattened tail for
frogs and toads have no tails swimming.
as adults. They are the most
common and so best-known Frogspawn consists of
of all amphibians. Frogs eat hundreds of black
live prey, such as insects,
catching them with their eggs, surrounded by
long, sticky tongue. protective jelly, laid in
water by female frogs.
Webbed feet on the
long back legs help
frogs swim in water.

16

Brightly patterned Congo ca Caecilians
skin warns predators
that this salamander ecilian Caecilians look and behave like worms, but they
is poisonous. actually eat worms. They live in soil burrows or
underwater, and have a long, thin, legless body.

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

Fire salamander Pointed, bony head is Ring-shaped
used like a shovel to folds of skin.
Salamanders burrow into soil.
Adult newts can
At first glance, a Spanish ribbed newt grow a new tail
salamander looks like a shiny, in a few weeks.
smooth-skinned lizard. Salamanders have
either four or two limbs. They may have
lungs or gills or neither, breathing
through their skin instead.

Albino axolotl Large, red external Newts
gills for breathing
in water. Newts have a slim body, a long tail,
and four legs of about the same size. Like
salamanders, they can grow back parts of their body,
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
Smooth, Axolotl world’s largest amphibian, reaching
white skin 1.8 m (6 ft) in length.
covers the The axolotl is a unique type of
plump salamander that spends all its life in 2 Giant salamanders also live the longest,
body. water. It never develops the adult reaching more than 50 years old.
features that would allow it to move
onto land, but it can still breed. 3 The fastest amphibian is the Andean
salamander, which has a top speed of
24 kph (15 mph).

17

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

iranha

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 Angelfish Fins

Mermaid’s purse Many female fish release Fish fins are found on different
thousands of eggs into parts of the body. They are used
the water, but some eggs to swim up or down, steer to
are well-protected. A one side, turn around, or act as
“mermaid’s purse” is the brakes to stop the fish moving.
casing that surrounds
each egg of some sharks.

18

Tiger shark Tail
The streamlined shape of a fish
Dorsal fin ends in a sweeping tail. Most
fish swim by moving their tails
Most fish have a dorsal fin from left to right to propel
on their back. This fin keeps themselves through Trout
the fish upright in the water,
and is most visible on the water.

sharks. Some fish have
two dorsal fins.

heckerboard wrasCse Jawless fish

Scales The first fish did not have Lamprey
jaws, and the only ones
Some fish have alive today are lampreys. Close-up of
smooth skin, but most These long fish have a a lamprey’s
fish are protected by cartilage skeleton and a sucker-like
scales, spines, or bony round mouth that has mouth.
plates. The colour and pattern of lots of teeth. Most
the scales may help a fish hide lampreys attach 19
from predators or attract a mate. themselves to other
fish with their mouth
and suck on their blood.

Invertebrates Jellyfish are found
in every ocean.

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

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

Vinegaroon Tarantula Spiders have eight
legs and most have
eight eyes.

Arachnids Whip Snail Molluscs
spider
All arachnids have a body that Molluscs have a wide range of
is divided into two main body types, but they all have a

segments and four pairs of soft body and many have a
legs. Most spiders have protective shell. Most molluscs
venomous fangs, while are water-loving creatures, but
scorpions come with
a sting in their tail. quite a few are land-based,
such as some slugs
and snails.

Giant clam Slug
fly
B
Ants
Scorpion Orb spider Dragon
Mantis ug

20 Butterfly Insects
bird
These small creatures have
three pairs of legs and a
body divided into three

parts. They use two feelers
on their head to touch,
smell, and taste. Many
insects also have wings.
Lady Wasp
Spider crab
insSetcitck Some insects,
such as this wasp,
may sting, and
some have a
strong bite.

Katydid Fly Beetle

97% 3%

of all animals are If these
invertebrates! two pages
Jellyfish Sun star represented
Anemone every type
Jellyfish, anemones, Starfish and of animal, all of
and corals may look sea urchins the vertebrates
very different, but they would fit into this
are close relations. They all These animals live in the sea space! That is all
live in water and many of although they cannot swim. fish, amphibians,
these simple animals have reptiles, birds,
stinging tentacles for feeding They have a distinctive and mammals!
symmetrical appearance,
and defence. Sponges cannot
and spines and spikes move around,
ral in for protection. sponge unlike most
Sea urch other animals.
Brain co Barrel
Lobster

Starfish usually Starfish Sponges
have five arms,
but some have Sponges are the simplest
of all animals. They live in
up to 40. the sea, attached to rocks

Crustaceans or coral reefs. The first
sponges lived more than
These tough-bodied invertebrates
are at home in water. They have 600 million years ago.
jointed legs and a body divided into
segments. Large crustaceans, such Earthworms sponge
as crabs and lobsters, use their eat things Stove-pipe
claws to capture and kill prey. Leech
such as rotting
leaves that are

found in soil.

Ea rthwo r m 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
them to move around.
Crabs have

10 legs, but

the first pair are

used as claws.

Ragworm 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.

Insect body parts Common wasp
TdTafAtwceinhhhovleiledeennilidebtgtnshreahsuosesdi.oepd,anTrcidaypsnathnosoxhttedrhofohataeamusatnbnhvostdodeerhriuoesmgnesetmatsihaexnhepenypcsealneyaetrfsbrgotih,rtsssraas.o.vinne, This insect buzzes
Thorax around hunting for
food. Its black and
yellow stripes are a
warning that it has
a painful sting.

digestion and Head

reproduction. Abdomen

Stinger can
be used again
and again.

Useful insects Silk moths
Silkworms spin a silk cocoon
Although some insects are around themselves when they
pests, they are important are ready to change into the adult
to a lot of living things, moth. People have used this silk
particularly flowering to make cloth for more than
plants. They are the main
source of food for many 5,000 years.
animals, and humans find
some insects useful, too. Silkworm cocoon

22 ult silk moth
Ad

Wings Feelers C ompound eye magnified many times.

Wasps have two pairs of All insects have two
transparent wings, which feelers, or antennae,
they beat at high speed which they use to
to fly fast, turn, touch, smell, and taste
and hover. their surroundings.

Eyes

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

something moving.

Close-up of mandi
bles

Legs Mouthparts

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

as nectar.

Bumblebee Edible insects
drinking Insects are high in protein,
nectar. and 27 per cent of people in
the world eat them. Crunchy
Bees crickets are a popular snack.
Bees are important because they
pollinate flowers, including some Dried crickets
human food crops. Honeybees
produce sweet honey from nectar. 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 Giant rainforest mantis Monkey-
life. The warm, wet weather One of Australia’s largest mantises, tailed skink
is perfect for plants, which this fierce insect has a big appetite. A skilled climber,
means plenty of food for It feasts on other insects such the monkey-tailed skink
animals. Birds nest in the as butterflies and dragonflies. lives in the Solomon Islands,
treetops, monkeys swing near Australia. It feeds on fruit
from the branches, and big and leaves, using its flexible tail
predators, such as leopards, to cling to branches.
stalk the forest floor.
25

Types of Mountain
habitat
The snowy peaks and lower slopes of cold
From baking hot deserts to mountains are home to a few tough animals.
snowcapped mountains, the Any land that measures more than 600 m
world is made up of many (2,000 ft) in height is called a mountain.
different habitats. Animals live
in the habitat where they are Forest
best-suited to the temperature,
weather, and food that is found More animals live in forests than any other
there. Many different types of habitat on land. The three main forest types
animal and plant live side by are steamy rainforests, cooler temperate
side in most habitats. rainforests, and cold coniferous forests.

Microhabitats Grassland

A microhabitat is a habitat on a miniature Hot grasslands that have a rainy season and
scale. It can be as tiny as the space under a a dry season are called tropical grasslands.
stone. The smallest difference in temperature Temperate grasslands have some rain all
or the amount of moisture will make a year, and both hot and cold seasons.
microhabitat more attractive to one type of
animal than another. A seaside rock pool is Desert
an example of a microhabitat and is home
to lots of living things. One of the world’s most difficult habitats
to live in is desert, because less than 25 cm
Rock pool (10 in) of rain falls in a year. Temperatures
are high in the day and very cold at night.
26
Polar

The polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctic
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.

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 Fangtooths live at depths of
more than 1,000 m (3,280 ft) under 5,000 m (16,400 ft).

the surface. This extreme habitat Some comb
has huge challenges for the jellies produce
animals that live there. Fish their own light.
and other marine life live with
permanent darkness, bitter
cold, very little food, and
crushing pressure from
the huge amount of water
above. Scientists can only
see these animals by
using a special vehicle
called a submersible.

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

Sea cucumbers look for Anglerfish
scraps on the sea floor.
Instead of swimming
around, the anglerfish
lures its prey within reach.
It has a massive mouth that
can swallow large prey whole.

Sea cucumber

These marine animals are called sea
cucumbers because they are a similar
shape, and sometimes colour, to the
vegetable. Their closest relatives are
starfish and sea urchins.

29

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

A beaver fam Lodge

ily inside their lodge. Busy beavers choose watery
locations to build a lodge
because they are excellent
swimmers. Mud and
branches are used to make
a safe structure with
entrances underwater to
prevent predators entering.

30

Sett Drey
What looks like a
Badgers dig deep to 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 Mound

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

Shell rking inside the mound.
Termites wo
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 A beak is
perfect for
If an animal is well-suited to its habitat we say it has an catching fish,
adaptation. The better-adapted it is, the more likely it is but there
to survive. For example, a penguin’s thick feathers are a aren’t any in
perfect adaptation for keeping it warm in the snow, but the desert.
would make it far too hot in a desert.
Dense feathers
In the desert cover a thick
layer of fat, for
Sandy deserts are hot places without warmth. The
much water. Some animals, like penguin would
camels, have become well-matched for overheat on the
this environment. They can survive hot sand.
without water for days, have a store of
fat in their hump for energy, and long Small wings
eyelashes to keep out the sand. are used for
swimming,
Dark feathers absorb but there is
heat, which make nowhere to
the penguin too hot take a dip here!
in the desert.

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

Thorny devil In the snow
This spiky lizard lives in deserts
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.
The colours that usually This helps it to sneak up on prey.
hide this lizard on sand
make it stand out against
the snow.

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

Blacktip reef shark Strong back legs are
useful for swimming,
but this frog prefers
to live on land.

33

Teeth Large canine tooth Lion skull

A quick trip to a dentist would Carnassial teeth
reveal a lot about what animals
eat for dinner. Most animals have Carnivore
no teeth at all. Some animals,
such as reptiles, have only one Animals that eat only meat are called
type of tooth. Mammals have carnivores. Meat-eating mammals
three types of teeth. Incisors at 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
the back of the mouth chew and meat into chunks for swallowing.
grind food.

! WOW!

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

Chimpanzee sku ll Zebra skull
Canine tooth

Flat molars Large incisors

Small incisors Wide, flat molars

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

Food chains Leaves

No living thing can survive without food. Producer
A food chain shows how a specific set of
plants and animals are linked together Almost every food chain
by who eats what. Each arrow in a food begins with a plant. These
chain means “is eaten by”. The chain ends plants are called “producers”
when it reaches an animal that has no because they create, or
natural predators. If one link is removed, produce, their own food by
the chain will break. combining the energy in
sunlight with water and air.
Complete the food chains

Do you know which of the animals below fits A Phytoplankton
into the two incomplete food chains?

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 Phytoplankton
family swims in the oceans, hunting are tiny plants.
marine life and seabirds.

3 BOctopus Grass
This unusual animal uses its six
arms and two legs to search the

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

? Lion

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

37
Answers: A2 B4

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

The back legs ! WOW!
launch the fox
into the air. A great white shark
can smell blood in
Front legs are water up to 5 km
raised, ready
to pounce. (3 miles) away.

Hunting

Meat-eating animals must find food
to survive. They have to detect, stalk,
and catch prey time after time. Hunting
techniques are learned at a young
age from parents and during play.
Solo predators, like foxes, use skill
and speed to catch prey, while pack
animals, such as wolves, work as a
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 Success!
lands directly on
top of the target. 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 POSTMAN CATERPILLAR
is not easy. With predators a Saltptamovhorogeeaiismeadloltsasnb.penPefiloirkivmnoseegtmsasmletpstoaaohmntmieesaconpayan.kltatSeoernoyrutptmhsstioelaetlmhaslcorewsasoyeteakelellvrlsfa!epioetsirltkldcoaeeirefmsftpiocgatukrholetew
constant threat, animals have
adopted all kinds of different PLAY DEAD
defences to protect themselves.
For some, the best form of
defence is attack. These animals
bite or kick, or rely on poison.
Others choose to lie low, hiding
from danger or playing dead.

STARTLE

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40

ARMOUR ! WOW!

ARMADILLO Lizards like the tokay
taoTscoFkvhabogieenanrrelstlblctahltoeapthronwepaeei-birltnm-eisefbgeihoaas-bvensnroaiadenovdnaegeywldorac.parahnAylsraaimomhftlolfeaeatarsrndlb.dasgWie,lhsleblohhluyofeeio.ndsnlrglycoariotayrpvrrhtmoeroeurlluoednsgduatinehrtionrtor. gecko have got a

SMELL clever trick to escape
danger. If a predator

grabs its tail, it
comes off and the
gecko can run away!

SHOAL

SKUNK SNAPPERS
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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.

Leaf-tailed gecko 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
won’t recognize them.

Herd of zebras
Double vision
tzpSaetarbrgtitrpeeaetrssni,nasotfbphfelreeerndscdeaaatmionorowfwusifttillrhalipgsftoeersluii.nagggtehle.eFtgaocraceshdsolwaonistdehsaaashsinegrdleof

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

There can be up to Animal attraction
150 feathers in a
male peacock‘s tail. 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
see who is stronger.

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.

RIBBRITIB! BIT!

An adult male common frog sits The male frog and the female frog meet in the
near a pond and calls out loudly water and he holds onto her. When the female lays
to attract the attention of a her eggs, the male fertilizes them.
female frog.
Between one and three weeks
The female frog lays hundreds of later, the eggs hatch into tiny,
eggs, called frogspawn, in the water. legless tadpoles. They have gills
Each egg is protected by a thick for breathing in the water.
layer of jelly.
46 Mouth

Gills for
breathing
Tail for
swimming

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

Tail starts
to shrink

Each tadpole feeds on algae Water fleas
and other tiny plants. It
grows bigger, and its back HOHMOEMSWE!EET
legs start to form after five
weeks or so. In spring, the adult frog returns to the
After 14 weeks, the pond where it was born. It is ready to find
tadpole has changed
into a miniature frog. a mate, and the life cycle begins for a
Instead of gills, the new generation.
froglet now has lungs 47
so it can breathe air.
The froglet can swim
in water, hop on land,
and catch insects,
such as small flies.

Match each baby animal with the parents below. 2

1 3

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

This chick B C
starts life with
downy feathers.

A

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