Upload
others
View
2
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Desert species
Bactrian Camel
The wild Bactrian camel is extremely well adapted for the tough desert
climate that it lives in. Thick eyelashes and narrow nostrils that can be
closed tightly against the storms protect the camel from injury from
flying sand. Its two toes are connected and are able to spread widely,
allowing the camel to walk well on sandy ground.
Like other camels, the wild Bactrian camel has a long curved neck, long
legs, a long triangular face and a split upper lip. Camels feed mainly on
shrubs. It has two humps on its back that store fat and this allows them
to go without food for long periods of time.
They are also able to go without water, but this is not stored in the
camels’ humps. Once they find water, camels are able to drink as much as
57 litres at one time to replace the water they have lost. To save water,
camels produce dry faeces (poo!) and little urine (wee!) and can control
how much they sweat.
The coat of the wild Bactrian camel tends to be lighter than some other
camels and is a sandier grey-brown colour. Its coat becomes thicker and
longer in winter when temperatures can fall to -30 degrees Celsius, and
is lost in big chunks as temperatures increase.
Great Desert Skink
The great desert skink is a relatively large and robust (solid or sturdy)
lizard, with a cylinder shaped body, smooth scales and short arms and
leg, like other skinks. The rounded tail, that gets narrower towards the
end, is slightly longer than the head and body, and is where the skink
stores fat to keep it going when there is not much food.
The upper surface of the body varies in colour from bright orange-brown
to dull brown or light grey, while the underside is yellow, cream or grey.
This helps the skink to camouflage against the rock and sand of the
desert.
The great desert skink lives in large, burrow systems which can be up to
metre deep. The burrows may be occupied by family groups of up to
about ten.
The great desert skink feeds on a wide variety of small insects mainly
termites but also cockroaches, beetles, spiders, ants, and sometimes
small lizards. Flowers, leaves and fruits may also be eaten. Skinks usually
search for food in the early evening or at night during the hotter
months, and may hibernate inside the burrow during the cooler months.
Pharaoh Eagle
One of the smaller eagle-owl species, the pharaoh eagle-owl is a bird of
prey with striking, large orange-yellow eyes and mottled feathers. The
head and upperparts are light brown with lots of black and creamy-white
streaks and blotches, while the underparts are pale creamy-white, with
black streaks and fine reddish-brown wavy markings.
The strong, sharp beak is black and hooked, and the head is topped with
small ear tufts. The pharaoh eagle-owl is a nocturnal species so they
sleep in the day and are active at night. They begin hunting for food at
sunset.
The pharaoh eagle-owl is an effective predator, eating almost any small
animal that it can find. During hunting the owl usually sits on a rocky
perch, and uses its very good hearing to detect the movements of prey
before swooping down to grab it. It mainly eats small mammals but
snakes, lizards, birds, beetles and scorpions may also be eaten by this
eagle-owl.
Cactus
Cactus is an American plant family not found naturally in Europe, Africa or
Australia. Cacti owe their success in the desert to their adaptations.
Cacti take advantage of any rare rain that falls by having roots close to
the surface. The water is quickly collected by the roots and stored in
thick, stretchy stems ready for when there is no water available.
The fleshy stems of the barrel cactus are pleated like an accordion.
These pleats also channel water to the base of the plant during rain
showers. When water is not available in the summer, the Cactus continues
to photosynthesise (make its own food) because it has fixed spines
instead of leaves that don’t fall off.
The green stems produce the plant's food, but lose less water than leaves
because of their waxy coating. The many spines shade the stems, keeping
them cool. Many cacti actually grow towards the south so that as little of
their body surface is in the midday sun. Cacti pay a price for these water-
saving adaptations – they grow very slowly.
Sand Cat
One of the smallest cat species in the world, the sand cat (Felis margarita) is well adapted to its arid desert habitat. It is able to get all
of the water it needs from its food.
The sand cat has extremely good hearing due to its large and triangle-
shaped ears. It is able to hear noises from animals both above and below
the surface of the sand.
Its foot pads are covered with thick hair, helping it to move easily over
the sand in its desert environment. The fur also protects the sand cat’s
feet from the hot sand.
The colour of the sand cats fur can be yellowish-brown to grey, with pale
lines on its limbs and several black rings near the black tip of its tail.
These are for camouflage – helping the sand cat to hide from its
predators and its prey. The sand cat hunts at night and on its own as this
makes it more likely to catch something.
Deep Sea Species
Angler Fish
The various names for this fish - anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius),
monkfish, goosefish – are lined to the fact that it has a very unusual
looking fish, as indeed do all 24 members of this family of fishes.
At first glance, it appears to be all head – and a head almost as wide as
the whole fish is long - with the flat body narrows sharply towards the
tail.
The skin is dark, rough and knobbly and has no scales which is unusual
for a fish. Despite how ugly it is, anglerfish are edible and considered
nice to eat, although the tail is usually the only part of the fish
displayed!
Other interesting features of this fish include an enormous, crescent-
shaped mouth on the upper half of the body, and the three long spines
on its head between the eyes; the front spine is modified to act as a
lure, attracting smaller fish (prey) closer to the anglerfish’s mouth so it
can grab them.
Olive Ridley Turtle
The olive ridley turtle is the smallest of the marine turtles. The top of
this turtle’s shell is olive coloured and almost heart-shaped, whilst the
underneath of the shell is a greenish white.
Olive ridleys are known for their remarkable mass nestings, when many
thousands of females arrive on the same beach. Males and females
migrate (move at particular times of the year) from the feeding grounds
to the nesting beaches.The nesting usually happens at night and when
there is a high tide. The females climb up the beach and lay clutches of
eggs - containing between 110 to 120 eggs. These astonishing mass
nestings can involve up to 150,000 females. This overcrowding means
that turtles are often crawling over each other to move up the beach
and may even unearth other nests whilst digging their own.
After around 50 to 60 days, the hatchlings (baby turtles) break out of
their shells and make a dash to the sea. Predators such as jackals and
crabs will feed on turtle eggs, birds attack hatchlings on the beach and
fish wait in the shallows. Therefore it is tough being a baby turtle but
the fact there are so many hatching together increases their chances of
survival.
Adult olive ridleys are carnivorous (meat-eating) and feed on lots of
different organisms including fish and molluscs (shell fish); sometimes
diving up to 150 metres in search of food.
Sea Urchin
The edible or common sea urchin (Echinus esculentus) has a large,
rounded 'shell', which is actually an external skeleton, correctly called a
'test'. This shell is built out of plates that are made of calcium.
It is usually pinkish-red in colour but can sometimes be shades of yellow,
green or purple. The shape of the test varies depending on the depth of
the water. The sea urchins living in shallow water tend to be more flat
than the ones living in deep water. The bristles on the ‘test’ or shell are
covered in many protective reddish spines with lilac coloured tips.
The common sea urchin feeds on seaweeds and invertebrates (no
backbone), moving along the sea floor using its 'tube feet', which stick
out from the spines. The mouth is located centrally on the underside of
the shell, and has a group of 5 specialised plates which act as a jaw.
Sea urchins become able to reproduce at between one and three years
old, and are thought to live for 10 to 16 years.
Giant Squid
The giant squid is one of the world's largest animals. It is known to
reach a length of up to 20 metres! It is one of the largest known
invertebrates (creatures without a back bone) in the world and one of
the largest creatures in the sea. The giant squid is a member of the
same family of creatures as the octopus.
The giant squid's body is composed of a body, eight arms, and two longer
tentacles. The main body, of the squid is around 2 metres long. The
insides of the arms and tentacles are lined with hundreds of suckers, of
different sizes. Each sucker has sharp, rough edges that help the squid
hold on to its prey. The top of the body has two small fins that are used
to help the squid change direction in the water and it is pushed along
really fast by jet propulsion! The squid can move through the water at
high speeds by taking water into its body and then pushing it out again
really hard.
The giant squid has a highly developed brain. They are thought to be
very intelligent, and may be one of the smartest creatures in the ocean.
Their eyes are extremely big. Large eyes are an important adaptation
because they help the squid find food in the darkness of the deep ocean.
Sperm Whale
The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is the largest of the toothed
whales, with males growing up to 20 metres in length. The sperm whale
also has the largest brain of any living animal.
Sperm whales have huge square heads that take up almost a third of
their total body length. Unlike other whales, the blowhole of the sperm
whale on the left of its head rather than on the top.
Further down the body towards the tail there is usually a large hump
(bump or lump) on its back, followed by a line of smaller bumps. The dark
brown to bluish-black skin, which is splotched and scratched, is tough
and helps the whale blend in with its environment. The whales have
strong muscular tails, large tail fins and a stream-lined shape to help
them swim large distances without having to sue too much energy.
The huge heads of sperm whales contain a large chamber filled with a
special waxy liquid (spermaceti oil). This wax can be cooled to make it
shrink which helps the whale sink, or heated so that it gets bigger which
helps the whale rise to the surface.
Arctic Species
Arctic Fox
The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is superbly adapted for life at sub-zero
temperatures. While this species is best known for its pristine, white
winter coat, during the summer, the coat becomes brown on the
upperparts, with light grey or white underpart, and is half as thick.
In addition, to the ‘white’ form of Arctic fox, a ‘blue’ form also occurs,
which in some areas is light brown with a bluish sheen in the winter or
dark brown to black in other areas, but becoming chocolate brown in the
summer.
The dense, woolly coat of this species has the best insulating properties
of all mammals, and helps this species survive at temperatures of -50
degrees Celsius in the wild. Some other adaptations for life in the Arctic
include small, heavily furred ears and a short nose to reduce heat loss,
as well as fur on the soles of the feet, and increased blood flow to the
feet pads to prevent freezing.
Arctic Hare
One of the world’s largest hares, the Arctic hare (Lepus arcticus) has a
distinctive, uniformly white summer coat, aside from the tips of each
ear, which are black. The thick white fur provides both warmth and
camouflage against the Arctic hare’s snowy surroundings. After the
spring moult, the fur of some arctic hares is replaced with a shorter
grey-brown fur.
The female Arctic hare is larger than the male, and also begins to moult
earlier in spring.
The Arctic hare has very thick fur and quite a large, compact body
compared with other hare species. The small size of the ears and other
parts of the body (e.g. feet) helps to reduce heat loss in cold conditions,
while the paws are heavily padded with thick, coarse fur which helps the
Arctic hare to walk on the surface of snow without sinking. The well
adapted claws and incisors (pointed teeth) enable the Arctic hare to dig
through snow and feed on the plants beneath.
Distress calls are made by hare and rabbit species when they are caught
by predators, but all other communication is thought to be done by scent
marking.
Emperor Penguin
Standing over a metre in height and weighing up to 40 kilograms, the
emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is the undisputed heavyweight
of the penguin world. Slow and dignified, the emperor penguin is a
stunning bird with a blue-grey back that shades into a black tail, and a
characteristically white belly flushed with yellow. Deep yellow ear
patches on either side of the head fade down the neck and the upper
chest, while the remainder of the head and throat is black.
In order to limit heat loss, the emperor penguin’s extremities are
reduced in size, with a small head and bill relative to body size, and
flippers that are proportionately 25 percent smaller than those of other
penguins.
A specially designed circulatory system also provides an efficient way to
keep heat within the body. Furthermore, the scale-like feathers of the
emperor penguin are tightly packed in multiple layers that only the
harshest winds can ruffle, while the feet are strongly clawed for
gripping the ice.
Emperor penguin chicks are mostly silvery grey, with a blackish head and
a well-known white mask around the eyes, cheek and throat.
Arctic Willow
The Arctic willow (Salix arctica) is a low-growing shrub, which grows flat
along the ground and usually grows in matches where the plants are
clumped together. Not all Arctic Willows have the same appearance and
size, with leaf shape and speed of growth known to be very different
depending on exactly where it is growing.
The leaves of the Arctic willow are mainly oval-shaped, and have a
smooth edges and a pointed tip. They are green and glossy on the top and
pale grey-green on the underside. The Arctic willow produces long,
cylindrical (sausage shaped) clusters of flowers, known as ‘catkins’, which
contain either a male or female flower.
The female catkins are hairy and are usually between one and eight
centimetres long. The male catkins are smaller, only growing up to four
centimetres long. Both male and female catkins usually grow from the
sides of the stems.
The stems of the Arctic willow are shiny and not hairy. They can vary in
colour between yellow-brown, grey-brown or red-brown.
Polar Bear
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is the largest living land carnivore
(meat eater), with adult males growing up to 2.6 metres in length. The
polar bear, the most well-known of all bears, is immediately recognisable
from the distinctive white colour of its thick fur.
The only unfurred parts of the body are the foot pads and the tip of its
nose, which are black, revealing the dark colour of the skin underneath
its fur.
The neck of the polar bear is longer than in other species of bears, and
the elongated head has small ears. Polar bears have large strong limbs
and huge forepaws which are used as paddles for swimming.
The toes are not webbed, but are excellent for walking on snow as they
bear non-retractable claws which dig into the snow like ice-picks. The
soles of the feet also have small projections and indents which act like
suction cups and help this bear to walk on ice without slipping.
Females are about half the size of males. Polar bear cubs weigh up to 0.7
kilograms at birth. They look similar in appearance to adults, though they
have much thinner fur.
Bactrian Camel
The wild Bactrian camel is extremely well adapted for the tough desert
climate that it lives in. Thick eyelashes and narrow nostrils that can be
closed tightly against the storms protect the camel from injury from
flying sand. Its two toes are connected and are able to spread widely,
allowing the camel to walk well on sandy ground.
Like other camels, the wild Bactrian camel has a long curved neck, long
legs, a long triangular face and a split upper lip. Camels feed mainly on
shrubs. It has two humps on its back that store fat and this allows them
to go without food for long periods of time.
They are also able to go without water, but this is not stored in the
camels’ humps. Once they find water, camels are able to drink as much as
57 litres at one time to replace the water they have lost. To save water,
camels produce dry faeces (poo!) and little urine (wee!) and can control
how much they sweat.
The coat of the wild Bactrian camel tends to be lighter than some other
camels and is a sandier grey-brown colour. Its coat becomes thicker and
longer in winter when temperatures can fall to -30 degrees Celsius, and
is lost in big chunks as temperatures increase.
Great Desert Skink
The great desert skink is a relatively large and robust (solid or sturdy)
lizard, with a cylinder shaped body, smooth scales and short arms and
leg, like other skinks. The rounded tail, that gets narrower towards the
end, is slightly longer than the head and body, and is where the skink
stores fat to keep it going when there is not much food.
The upper surface of the body varies in colour from bright orange-brown
to dull brown or light grey, while the underside is yellow, cream or grey.
This helps the skink to camouflage against the rock and sand of the
desert.
The great desert skink lives in large, burrow systems which can be up to
metre deep. The burrows may be occupied by family groups of up to
about ten.
The great desert skink feeds on a wide variety of small insects mainly
termites but also cockroaches, beetles, spiders, ants, and sometimes
small lizards. Flowers, leaves and fruits may also be eaten. Skinks usually
search for food in the early evening or at night during the hotter
months, and may hibernate inside the burrow during the cooler months.
Pharaoh Eagle
One of the smaller eagle-owl species, the pharaoh eagle-owl is a bird of
prey with striking, large orange-yellow eyes and mottled feathers. The
head and upperparts are light brown with lots of black and creamy-white
streaks and blotches, while the underparts are pale creamy-white, with
black streaks and fine reddish-brown wavy markings.
The strong, sharp beak is black and hooked, and the head is topped with
small ear tufts. The pharaoh eagle-owl is a nocturnal species so they
sleep in the day and are active at night. They begin hunting for food at
sunset.
The pharaoh eagle-owl is an effective predator, eating almost any small
animal that it can find. During hunting the owl usually sits on a rocky
perch, and uses its very good hearing to detect the movements of prey
before swooping down to grab it. It mainly eats small mammals but
snakes, lizards, birds, beetles and scorpions may also be eaten by this
eagle-owl.
Cactus
Cactus is an American plant family not found naturally in Europe, Africa or
Australia. Cacti owe their success in the desert to their adaptations.
Cacti take advantage of any rare rain that falls by having roots close to
the surface. The water is quickly collected by the roots and stored in
thick, stretchy stems ready for when there is no water available.
The fleshy stems of the barrel cactus are pleated like an accordion.
These pleats also channel water to the base of the plant during rain
showers. When water is not available in the summer, the Cactus continues
to photosynthesise (make its own food) because it has fixed spines
instead of leaves that don’t fall off.
The green stems produce the plant's food, but lose less water than leaves
because of their waxy coating. The many spines shade the stems, keeping
them cool. Many cacti actually grow towards the south so that as little of
their body surface is in the midday sun. Cacti pay a price for these water-
saving adaptations – they grow very slowly.
Sand Cat
One of the smallest cat species in the world, the sand cat (Felis margarita) is well adapted to its arid desert habitat. It is able to get all
of the water it needs from its food.
The sand cat has extremely good hearing due to its large and triangle-
shaped ears. It is able to hear noises from animals both above and below
the surface of the sand.
Its foot pads are covered with thick hair, helping it to move easily over
the sand in its desert environment. The fur also protects the sand cat’s
feet from the hot sand.
The colour of the sand cats fur can be yellowish-brown to grey, with pale
lines on its limbs and several black rings near the black tip of its tail.
These are for camouflage – helping the sand cat to hide from its
predators and its prey. The sand cat hunts at night and on its own as this
makes it more likely to catch something.