Hedgehogs:
Hedgehogs have many sharp spines on their back.Have you ever seen what you took to be a ball of prickles? No? Yes? Well, that 'ball of prickles' was probably a... hedgehog! Yes, hedgehogs can curl themselves up into tight balls to cover up the parts of their body that is not covered by sharp spines, and thus scaring away any enemy that would, in any other case, try to eat it. Who would want to eat something that sharp? Definitely not me! If you were wondering how the hedgehog got it's spines, let me explain. When a hedgehog is born, it's spines are soft and short, but, as they get older, their spines harden and become longer and (Ouch!) sharper. The hedgehog is then able to go out into the big wide world! Hedgehogs eat snails, insects,mice,lizards, frogs, eggs, and other common garden pests. Some even go after snakes! They make good pets, and they live for about 7 years. Sadly, they love going into gardens when they hibernate during autumn. Hence, when a gardener sweeps up the fallen leaves to put in a bonfire, he or she sometimes sweeps up a slumbering hedgehog. What a painful end.
Praying mantis:
Well, time to move on. The next animal I amd going to write about is...yes, you guessed it, the amazing praying mantis! These incredible creatures hold their front legs before them, which gives people the impression that they are praying! They eat insects, spiders, frogs, lizards, and even small birds!( I know you are thinking WOW! INCREDIBLE!)When they catch their prey, they do it so fast, that you probably would not even see it happening! Praying mantis's have long green bodies, which help them blend in with their surroundings.Some even have bodies that look like leaves! Another stupendous fact about them is that they can turn their head 180 degrees. They are disgusting when they eat their prey as they eat it head first.And when they are 'married',the females sometimes chomp off the male's head! Some of the scientists think that this gives her the energy for her to lay her eggs.The baby mantis that come from the females eggs also eat their siblings! They live for about 1 year. What fascinating creatures! A chimpazee:
The chimpanzees are found in tropical Africa and are the second most intelligent creature in the world(the first most intelligent creatures are, surprisingly, humans!) They usually walk on all fours, but they can rise and walk upright on two feet.Chimpanzees are mainly vegetarians, but the also kill and eat other animals like pigs, monkeys, baboons, antelopes, and insects. These clever animals use sticks and stoes to crack open nuts and fruit shells that are too hard for them to crack. They also have learnt the sign language for hearing-impaired people and have one of the most expressive faces of all primates! The chimpanzees live in groups which can consist of up to 120 animals! They use various sounds(like grunts) and hand signals to 'talk' to each other, cool, huh? They live to about 50 years old. I'd love to have one as a pet.
Barn owls:
Now that we have seen those amazing other animals, lets move on to another one! This time, its a bird. Not a mammal, not a insect, a bird.These winged wonders are found in every continent except Antartica.They, like most species of owls, are nocturnal, and when catching prey(mice and other small rodents), make hardly a sound in their flight. They breed in the spring, and lay from 2-6 eggs. They are able to breed when they are about 10 months old, and usually live too around one to two years of age. They have very good sense of hearing as their ears are placed asymmetrically.
Eagle:
Yet another bird I shall talk about is the eagle.These sensational birds have many amazing qualities. Their eyeball length is 35mm, which is 11mm longer than a human's eyeball. This majestic creature visual acuity is 2.0 to 3.6 better than a humans(though it depends on what kind of eagle is). They can also turn their heads backwards, and all the way upside down! They can even swim! Eagles eat dead animals, fish, rodents, ducks, rabbits, frogs, snails and snakes. The largest eagle, the Harpy eagle, also eats sloths, monkeys and parrots(shiver!)
Well, since you have read my posting, I hope you come to appreciate what wonderful creatures animals are. Bye for now...
Credits: Pictures from Google.com
