Animal Defense Facts

Animals have different ways of escaping predators – most mammals run away, while birds take to the air.
Some animals use camouflage to hide. Many small animals hide in burrows.
Turtles and tortoises hide inside their hard shells.
Armadillos curl up inside their bendy body Armour
The spiky-skinned armadillo lizard of South Africa curls up and stuffs its tail in its mouth.
Hedgehogs, porcupines and echidnas are protected by sharp quills (spines).
Skunks and the stinkpot turtle give off foul smells when they are threatened.
Meerkats stand on their hind legs and give a shrill call to alert other meerkats to danger.
The plover, a type of bird, pretends to be injured in order to lure hunters away from its young.
Many animals defend themselves by frightening their enemies. Some, such as peacock butterflies, flash big eye-markings. Others, such as porcupine fish and great horned owls, blow themselves up much bigger.
Other animals send out warning signals. Kangaroo rats and rabbits thump their feet. Birds shriek.
The nine-banded armadillo is one of 20 species of armadillo. Armor plating protects it against all but the most determined of predator.
The hognosed snake rolls over and plays dead to escape predators. It even smells dead

This entry is filed under Interesting Facts.