Whiskers!

Wildlife Wednesdays

A project by Ryan Bishop, with the support of the Environment & Wildlife club

What do animals use their whiskers for?

Whiskers are:

• in fact called

vibrissae

• only found in mammals

(in their true form)

• serve as a tactile

sensor

Whiskers are not facial hair or fur!

• Whiskers are not

found in humans;

• Facial hair is a secondary sex characteristic in biological males

mystacial whiskers for object identification

Also whiskers

Carpal whiskers

A chinchilla’s whiskers can be longer than a third of its body!

• The movement of the whiskers is called ‘whisking’

• Not that many

animals whisk actively

There are different types of whisking depending on the size of

the object and the distance from it.

Most carnivores don’t whisk actively.

RECAP:

~Whiskers are sensory organs that

complement the tactile sense of the

skin~

Can you spot all

different kinds of whiskers this fox

has?

Cat whiskers are:

a measurement of whether a cat

can fit through an opening

so sensitive that they can detect changes in air

currents

a good indicator of a cat’s mood:

pulled back means defensive and distressed

Whiskers should never be trimmed!

they are so sensitive that a rat can tell if a surface is smooth or bumpy, hard or soft

whiskers help a rat crawl through openings even in

the dark

Seal whiskers are oval instead of round, in order to minimize disturbance when

swimming.

Seals extend whiskers forward to follow trails left by

fish.

The whiskers are so sensitive that they help seals discern size of their prey!

Dog whiskers vary in pattern and location concentration among different breeds!

Dog whiskers are highly sensitive to air currents and changes

in them.

When they brush against an object that might be harmful, they

cause the dog to blink in order to avoid

injury.

Dog eyes can’t focus on objects close up, so whiskers help them with

things that are right under their nose!

Lots of cute meerkat whiskers!

Whiskers in horses are important for sensing and avoiding unseen danger.

They are also of great help, in tandem with a horse’s lips, when picking out food.

Design consultant:

Wyatt Hall

Illustrations by:

Yesua Jeon

We are open to

suggestions and

comments!

Email Ryan Bishop at:

ihzlatan@owu.edu