Animal Defenses
Animals have clever defenses. These defenses protect them from attackers. The attackers are called predators. Let’s find out how animals keep themselves safe from predators.
What’s That Smell?
Skunks have a stinky secret. They spray a bad odor
odor
TRIOCEAN—GETTY IMAGES
a smell
(noun)
Carlo's dirty socks gave off a bad odor.
. It keeps predators away.
Blending In
This is an Arctic hare. It turns white in the winter. It disappears
disappear
LJUPCO—GETTY IMAGES
to go away
(verb)
The magician made the rabbit disappear.
against snow.
Sending a Warning
King snakes are not poisonous
poisonous
"
KATIE_MARTYNOVA—GETTY IMAGES"
causing sickness or death by entering or touching the body
(adjective)
Chocolate can be poisonous to a dog.
. But their bright color makes predators think they might be dangerous
dangerous
TETRA IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES
possibly harmful
(adjective)
Texting while driving is dangerous.
. This sends a message to predators: “Stay away!”
Stick with the Group!
Fish swim in big groups. The groups are called schools. Predators are confused by so many fish. So they swim away.
Did You Know?
Some animals have a hard outer shell. This armadillo has one. The armadillo rolls up into a ball. The shell protects it from predators.
More from Animals
Share a Link
- Click the icon above to copy the url link to your clipboard.
- Paste the link into the location in which you share assignments with students. Examples might include, but are not limited to Canvas, Schoology and Edmodo.
Google Classroom
- Click on the icon above to share the article with a class in your Google Classroom.
- Choose an action. Options might include creating an assignment or asking a question.
