Animals are ubiquitous around the world, providing an important source of diversity to the global ecology. They play a role in many aspects of our lives and have been studied extensively by scientists throughout history. This article will explore what animals are and discuss their various characteristics, habitats, adaptations, behaviors, and impacts on humans. The …
One significant difference between animals and humans is that animals cannot talk. However, this doesn’t mean the animals don’t communicate. Animals can be heard snapping, roaring, and howling to find food, navigate, and attract mates. This list includes six extremely loud animals. While you may know that a whale can be louder than the sound …
British Columbia is one of my favorite parts of Canada. From the mountains to the oceans, it has stunning views everywhere. With such amazing, varied habitats, it is no wonder that there are so many different species of mammals. Over 130 species of mammals can be seen in British Columbia. These include some of the …
Walking through the woods the other day, I noticed many small cocoons on the trees. You may know that a caterpillar turns into a butterfly after a long sleep in its cocoon. Butterflies are flying insects. There are nearly 160,000 species in the world. In this article, I look at how caterpillars turn into butterflies. …
Most people have seen squirrels in their gardens or while on a walk. You may have seen them stealing nuts and bird food from your feeder, but they have a varied diet. There are over 200 species of squirrels classed as tree, ground, and flying squirrels. These are agile rodents with bushy tails and can …
There are four main ways animals can communicate with other members of their species and even with other species. Being able to warn a predator is undoubtedly a handy advantage, and one of the easiest ways to do this is using visual communication. Animals use visual communication to greet other animals. Without visual communication, more …
When we think of sound, we consider many things such as talking, singing, humming, and music. Sound is an integral part of human culture, but animals rely on sound much more than we do. Sound is key to an animal’s survival. Producing and hearing sound helps animals avoid predation, find food, and successfully rear offspring. …
One of the four ways that animals communicate is through chemical communication. They do this by using pheromones. A pheromone is a chemical secreted by an animal to trigger a specific reaction from other animals. Invertebrates most commonly use pheromones; however, most animals produce them. Birds are the only animals where pheromones are not used. …
My dog was barking at my cat earlier today, and although the cat was responding with his best impression, it was clear they weren’t speaking the same language. However, the dog knew that the cat was not in the mood to play, so I wondered how animals communicate other than just using sound. By swishing …
I watched my dog and cat the other way and noticed that the way they interact is much different from how I interact with other people. Animals, unlike us, do not have hands, so how do they communicate using tactile means to announce their intentions to other animals? Animals use tactile functions to communicate with …
Being a prey animal means navigating the environment in a constant state of alertness. Prey animals must always be on the lookout for danger. Many animals have adapted unique ways of either hiding, escaping from, or intimidating their predators to avoid predators. Animals will use camouflage to hide not only from predators but also from …
When we feel tired, we take a nap, have some food or drink a caffeinated drink, but how do animals get their energy? They can’t just grab a coffee when they feel tired, so what do they do? Herbivores will get their energy from the nutrients of the plants they eat. Carnivores will get some …