WildAnimals

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A Child's First Library of Learning

Wild Animals

TIME-LIFE BOOKS

ALEXANDRIA. VIRGINIA

ComtcmtEs
. ..... 1
..... . ......... ...6
. .... -E
...........10
...... .... ....12
Did You Know That X[ale Lions Don't Hunt?
...... -....... ..........1'1
Why Do Elephants Live in Herds?
. ... . . . -16
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
why Don't Go uas Hunt Animals?
-........18
Did You Know That Pandas Are Very Tiny at Birth? ......................
...........20
Is a Skunk's Terrible Smeli ReaLly Strong llnough Lo Protect It? .......
....... ............22
How Do Porcupines Protect Themselves?
... . .....24
............
How Does an Eagle Catch Its Food?
.. ... . ...... ..... 26
Wly Does a Leopaxd Take lts Food up a Tree? .........
... .. -..... . .28
How Does a Bear Catch a Salmon? - . . . . . . . . . .
............30
Do Killer Whales Really Attack Larger $hales? .. ................
. ...... 32
........
How Car Owls Catch Animals in the Dark? .................
.. .34
How Can Bats Catch Insects Even on the Darkest Night? ... . ..............
..... . ... ..... -...36
How Does a Kingfisher Catch Its Food?
.... . ..38
How Do Polar Bears Live in a Land of Ice and Snortr?
. . ..40
......
Why Do Rhinoceroses Have Horns? .. ......
.. -.42
........
Why Do Rattlesnakes Make a Rattling Sound?.
' How Does a Scorpion Stingl
... .......41
Animal?
Can A1l Animals Swim? ..............
How Can Cheetahs Run So Fast?
Why Do Tlgers Have St pes?
\{hich Is the Fastest

..

2)

ea

o o{

Which Is the Fastest Animal?

The cheetah is the fastest land

animal. It can reach 70 miles (113
km) per hour over short distances.
Next fasteSt is the pronghorn with a
speed of 60 miles (97 km) per hour.
The sloth, the slowest, can't stand
up so it has to drag itself along.

\( \((\.\ \\rlv
c\
_

/>-

Rhinoceros: 28 miles
(45 km) per hour

Sloth: One sixth mile

(250 m) per hour
'.:,;

t-

Child: Seven
miles (12 km)
per hour

(.\

Bat:
(24

15 miles

kn)

per hour

Cat: 29 milbE
(47 kn) per hour

Dlephant: 24 miles
(39 km) pr hour

Wild boar: 29 miles

(47 km) per hour

Tortoiser'I!io miles
(3 km) per hour

Sprinter: 25 miles
(40 km) per hour

Ral: Six miles

(10 km) per hour
Camel: 20 miles
(32 km) per hour

Pig: 10 miles
(16 km) per hour

Panda: 25 miles
(40 km) per hour

t'

For: 45 miles
(72 km) per hour

Pronghom:60
miles (97 km)
Per hour

Ilqsr 4r. miles

(66 km) per hour

Lion:40
miles (64 km)
pr hour

Cheetah: 70 miles
(113 km) per hour

'W'olf: 45 miles
(72 km) per hour

Hor6e: 48 miles
(77 km) per hour

.
The cheetah

Eee iis iop

To the Parent

is the fasiest lrnd

aninal.

speed is given as ?0 niles

(113 }n) per hour, but urls may ,atr],

someahat e.ordlng to the neth.d usd
to neasse ltre Speed. Aninals do not

run at
and

Giiaffe: 85 miles
(56.km).per'hour

Hare: 45 miles
' (72 km) per hour

tle

flrl

speed orer a fixd disiance

circumstancs mder w]ti.h drey

run varyi so no vdlid compa.ison n

reallr be nade.

shom he.e were

mthods and do noi

Speeds

re..r.l.d hv valions

con3tiiuie' an irreluiabLc comparison.

'El

G"*i

Crr, All Animals Swim?

Most animals are good swimmers.
In fact, thev can swim from the
time they're born. But some animals
have to be taught how to swim. This
group includes people, gorillas and
chimpanzees. Once people learn how
to swim, they can swim for long
distances if they practice enough.

ra\ts

iii-\

Chimpanze

a-r .

/1 ^l

sffiJ
.E//
o Y6_;)B

;)

Sea

otter

kd L,,,

.(

Sloth

Dog

Why Do People Have to Practice Swimming?

Almost all animals can
float in the \\,ater so that
their noses ilre above the
suriace. All thev ha\,e to
do is moi e theil legs
and thel"re sr-imming.
But if hunun beings and
chimpanzees let themsel\,es
float, their nose stars
belorv the surface and
they can't breathe.
That's r,h)' r,ve have
to practice to s\\,im.

:t'o the Parent

iclr i. sr;m. lru

l!!r nirlr ile
aliilil\. Tr,. h.dies !l ali dima.s.
inciud;ng |nm,tu. are raturall!
lnoJanr rith rnost a.imals ihe nose
ltulnlE

beings

mrsi

mo3r other anln,ls L.e

siay: ahor. {aler. Thc deternines

rethcr i. nlr an arina! can $vid
r'lth.,nr having to l.am how. \'ith
tleir ros above tI. {aief. !io:r

aninals.a! hr.aihe nalulzli,r as

they srini. Peotl and ap!s. notrl'er
Eusr leam t. slim \iifioli takinF nr
rarer thmugh lheir r.s. o. mourl.

ffiill
rrswrr

uo* can cheetahs

,:i Ho$, a cheetah runs

Run So Fast?

Or.,'sho't disi;rnrps, rhe,'heetah i.

the la.te.-L arimal on lard. Tl e
cheetah's speed is due to the special
1v2y il5 [6iy is buiLt. It has a soft
baclibone that bends easily. That
allou,s this big cat to spring lbrrvard
in great 1eaps. Tl.re c}reetah also has
long thin clau,s on its feet. The1,
rvork like spilies to grip the ground
and help the cheetah inn r.erv fast.

baa

y':;:-,:
The chectah's claws

,t -\--

-i

o To the parent

i nember ol the.at faril!, pdsues its treJ

ritil asi.nishi.g speed. Errr part ol tle .heeLah's hodl
o*o
,.n l
1.,t
irs spine. a.L,ara.tcristi. ol all fehrer, llavs u imp.rta.r
parr in gi|irg th detair irs ebiLiJ ni .nn at gaeat speed.
Urnikc ihlie Dl nosr ol ih. cats. rhe (heetrlr s ch{s ca.n.t
Tne cne.tal.

t,e retra.tcd ard are ahals e{osed Th cheeuh runs in

sprints and la.ks erdtrrance. F.r ihls .ea;on Lhe chetah
tu.{es itr lrel lor no roe ihan ebout li00 leet OS0 nr.

The .neet?-n c.ils lts bodr llle i rlrnrs.

and ils hi.d less sile a r,.redul kick

Catching a gazelle. Aller a t.p iteed pLlrLrii.

The cleer:lr nretclres oLrt

lile

a spdrg bei.s released

tle alr.

suddenlj. a.d jis b.dr lears rorlard ILLII) nr

.:.:.

A snrsle sprins mar- take it as tar :s 23 r'eel i? m). l\:her

'i" " d -.r

rl s-

'i).,

*oftl

,ElWhy Do Tigers Have Stripes?

6wwri)

The stripes make the tiger

hard to see. Out in the open
the tiger's yellow and black
stripes are \.ery easy to see.
But the tiger becomes harder
to see u,hen it's in the bushes
or among trees. Deer and other
animals can't see colols very
well, so that makes it even
easier for the tiger to hide.

rhe eyes of a deer see onh

a llack and ,,r'hiie imagc.

,- j'

-' '"1- -

a.

10

,l*

These Markings Are Hard

for Other Animals to See

lVildcats and.jaguars
lii.e in thick brush and
grass. This bnckgrouncl
crestes a contl ast of
ligtt antl sharlou s.

jaguals
har.e ciarli markings on a
lighter backglound
ill.rich cnahles them to
blend in smoothly u.ith
their surrorurclings,
making it difficult for
theii prey to see then1.
Thel can then get close
\lilclcats

ancl

belbre the1. r'e seen.

lile in dense

TIe Bensal Nlldcar liles in lvoods and

JasuaN

forests,

huntirs monke\.s, peccaries and tapirs.

lreiD,t

on small animals.

These markings are hard

iLinsle resions.

for enemies to see

Some $eak animals that are oiten taryets

of attack b]' enemies have round, r.hite
markings. These markings look like the
round, white spots made nhen the sun
shines througl the trees of the forest.
The light and dark patches blend into
the backgTound so that the animal can
avoid the eves of jts hungr\, enemles.

\\hen ii hidcs, ihe laFn s sp.ts

hehr hl(l it lilm .nem1 e1es.

The talil has a slolled coal

whcn it's Ioung and hellless.

To the Parent

anr aninrls .a! blerd

tlreil sufuourdin{s to
beins det.led

keep

bt rheil

inn)

Ircn

enemi.rs.

{ost lunmals except hnmans ard

.he apes lcrc.ire .ol.r loorly.
naking this f.rm oI prole.Ln'e
.oncalnent his!ly effe.ti!e.

li ls oI hile
Ll summr deer hale s'hite spols.
ln winter these spots disappear.

The

rild

boar has ll'hiie

markinss onh ihen it s Joung.

use, however,

again* annnals that rell dDre

on other snses su.h .s $e11.

Elnia

You Know That

Male Lions Don't Hunt?

(...swrit

Lions live in the u,ide grasslands of

Africa, not in the jungle. Among lions,
hunting is left up to the females.
The male lions are strong, but they
don r help at all with the hunting.

\,
,;-i.".u*"lrl*"n""
\ io ao nLrntnre. Ineir ljehr )
)

br.,rvn

tuom

fnr l,elps tl,em nide

nr tne dr! srass

rrel

-.)-

59"

*'11..

rl
l'1,

o To the Parent

Doesn't the Male Lion

Need to Eat Anything?

Li!!s lile in .\fii.a in lamilJ srlups

.alled prider. ln ast -A1ri(a lridel
.onsisiifg .l ns nanl s iro mele:,
r0 fmal.: ald 2l J,ruqj cul: tra1'e
becn .hscned Hnr!liri! i! r.frnrllt
th. r6li .l the lenralei. ind n'f.u
fimnl.s norli togelher t! blnrg lolr'n
tI. pr). The nile ll.re guarrl dre
h.unda.ies 0I the trid.'s terirul

It
\\rhen the fe.rale lionl brina Lacli sometiins
t. eat, the nrale li.r,rhlals cats flrst.

.. -::
*i'

:*

once.he male nas firilhed i|. Jours

tle fernile llL)fs rnn eal

lion .ubs and

I

t..
(
I

Iilen
i::i
I

re

ttrer're young, nrale

,.fe ,fil

lioli

!11e!

lrnnt thelr owf l'o,rl

'ta

Elwrty

Do Elephants

Live in Herds?

finswri Elephants form herds or groups made up of only

females and their young. The oldest l'emale becomes the
leader, and all the others follow her for their protection.

-'

Grandmother

;,

\. t, ,i'tl
-r-l1l

Daughter

'..,.

I
.li

n - , i'

(1

t
I--Y-^?_

,
,-- y

'Li":\

r,)"l'

In elephant herds the grandnother

ls the leader. The father elephant
li\.es alon, apart fiom the herd.

Father

African elephants.

An elephant herd and the duties of the leader

\
'.,-..1

drl, ih leadcr knows where

shoq's the otheF wlrere to find it.

Even *hen the weather is

io lind

\'.tl.r ard

['hen

an enemy aptears, the herd gathem $.ith tire roung

in ihe center, ard tle leader

comes out to flght.

TIe }erd toliows the leider. looliins 1or food water a.d places to rest. Ther al$als hlktrr the rame !ath.

To the Parnt

A. elephet

herd is .omlosed of females rclaied b!

blood, plns Uieir loung- All tne adrnts arc siste$,
o. mothr and daushter. Tlie lerd lorns r1renel,,, close
iDnds ird th nrml.rs arsist .n anoth.. in Danv \ra\s.

'1" .arbla
h 5."oloe'i"4;.
Sne uses ho lea.s of erAerielce to dsue ihe safet,
of tnc ied as a Nhole. Eor *an!le, Lhe leader knoas
the le.dilg gloud1 nalerine holes ed waXs io combat
enemies, lt i,q rotenorth! thai elihough elephdts lave
a tifespa .f abont 60 Fars, strch rn ase is not usual

sild. Half dle bX the age ol ln, and only aholt

elphani five rea.hes tle age .{ 30. Whn the
Fung hare groan ile fema]es .enain wilh the !ed, but
in

Ure

onc

Elelhants cooperite rbr sunivai. I:Ien ore of tle herd

is iniured. the others sur closc Lr to gire it lrel!.

th maies leal to besin an independeni liJe. OnlJ in

naiirs

season are

the hdles allovd close to tbe hrd.

lr;

Elwn,
6'*t)

Don't Gorillas Hunt Animals?

Gorillas are not hunters.

Ther. eat only plants.
Gorillas are especiallv
fond of fresh grass and
tree leaves, but they
also like bark and
roots. Gorillas travel
around in groups called
bands, eating only the
things they find most
delicious. They never
attack animals for food.

Fiating leares. Sinre leales are not

Iri

trt,

\...:

t(

t)

ronrisiing thc gorilla hxs to tal a iot.

How Gorillas Live

Gorillas lile in bands that are led b1- a
single maIe. Because older males har.e a
white back, they are knou.n as sih.erbacks.

Thumrrl

Thumf:

Thunpl
Thumpl

At ,ri!.hr gorlllas L.caI

co\er

ihe

Things a gorilla eats

r.@

W
!,w
(;Ce1e11

l'a!r.

and eat them, bul, sorillas

tno-n t. cat meat. Gorilla

nomrllr lne in bands that arc led br a lulh
matnre mle. A Land nay consisl of several
lefrales md

Raspber es

To thc Parent

have never ben

Bamboo shoots

ffirffi

tr.c tran(I$ rnd

festi 1'!r s ee|iig.

Acc.rding to lege.d gonllas arc rild, r'irce

aninals. ln facl ileJ are heirivorcs that eat
mosth grass. By naiue rhey are 1'e{ Fiacid.
Chidpezees, anotnel ol tle arihroloid apes,
somelines klll

Thistles

!1T

wiLh lenres ro niaLe

,.ug

gorillas ol various a4es, The

arcuge band comprises thrce lemales and ibu

or fivc ,'oung. $hen the male mtures. tne fur
on his h2ck hr.ns qhite girirjg rise ro the
name silverbadt. T!. silr. racli 1,. lh most

Catch\Yeed

importanl tueml,r oJ the band, and Urc other

sorillas paX hin a gr.at d.al ol arreriion.
The vourg ercntull} lare th. band as ahey
mature. Pen,ales join otler ba.ds whil. maics

go ofl independen

J to lirm tlclr om

bands.

Did You Know That Pandas

Are Very Tiny at Birth?

a -{ nrcurcr

("*l)

lrmda !la}s

ritl

her ollsprins in 3,o.,.

The baby giant panda is only about as

big as a mouse when it's born. It
doesn't yet have the black markings
adults have, and its eyes aren't yet
open. but it can cry in a loud voice.

Alier ahoui thrc Nccks the

black marlinss can

l.

seen.

e!0
9i
'I'he

nerh

born !md.r is

colered riith

t8

i.li rhiie

fur.

[*

\\itren r,onr N)nrhs har.e g.,re bt.

ir qains

ir srrenell and size.

Young Pandas Love to Play

Baby pandas like to play ball
and to climb trees. They play
hard and then take long naps.

Look ai m. I can
rally climb norl

can chew bamboo leaves

jusi like Mother. Bui I'm

not old enoush to eat

reaih prolerly just vet

&
r_.\-

--..

Look at my ball.

It

tle

have.

same colors

has

fiftl month it can

eat soft dce with milk.
In ihe

To the Parent

The giant Farda is only 1iv inches

{r3 cml long ad weighs *}ee to four
and a har ou.es (85.130 g) ai birtn.
alout ihe same size as a snall nouse.

P--

Sin.e th notho is aboni 50

s
'r:j
*!ir

inches

(12? cn) long and veijlhs about 220

louds (100 ks), the babr is extremlr
3ma11 in conparison. A baby pMda is
covered with sofi. white tur and does

After about a year and iwo

months it begins io eat ihe
leaves of the bamboo plant.

mt lare lhe fmiliar blak markines

$itn rt rs born. lr: Lar rs quite
tons Tle DJnda is an en,lancered
species, md the }ilrh oI one in; z.o
is welcome lews around th $orid.

ffi l,

a Skunk's Terrible Smell

Really Strong Enough to Protect It?

(mwrf Thar awlul smell is a ver) poir erful ri-eapon.

When another animal attacks it, rhe skunk
sprays its enem5,. The smell is so terrible
that most other animals are not able to keep
on attacking. This is how the small skunk
can protect itself from very large enemies.

l.--\

G
-{ spoiled skunk siands on its
ftont lcei io lranr off an eneny.

'..\'

If the enenr doesn't go awaJ,

tle skunk spmys ii with misi.

The Skunk's Secret

The skunk has glands
in its rear end u'here
the foul'smelling
liquid is produced.
The skunk sprays out
a fine mist that
smeils rea11y bad. It
can make the skunk's
enemies choke and
their eyes iear.

Scent gland

smells

t"
-\.

(e

r"il #,
The scent glards are used io make
the liquid thai smells so had.

\l
\losi

enemies know hon

to recosnize a skunk
and will run awali at
the sight of one eren
rvhen

iht'r starling.

("'

t, t'

...-;
(

lyl

is ihe onl) enemt

iirat 1'ill aitnck a skunk. Elen
if it's slraJ.d thc o{l doesn't
sPtsm 1. mlful ihr sne lat ell.
Ttre e.tsle

( ((

These give off an unpleasant smell too

There are also sr'eral other
creatures that use unpleasant
odols to protct themsehs

from their enemies. Some are

large and some :rre \.elv small,

ffi--_l
,)

Ground beetle

:.-

S.lr'allowtail caterpillar

Th! :hunlr is a nember of tnc seasel

1 ih. lt is *ell kno{r lor emiitins
bJ lar the n.sl offe.slr. .dof .I all
\r.asels. The sourc. ol th strell is a
liquid se.reted bJ a pair.l slandr
r.ir rhe rnrs P.r .ami\,.res wlitr an
acnt serse ol smcll, the sullerlng
th. !d.r .auses is alnost lethal.

Stinkbug

GlUo*

Do Porcupines Protect Themselves?

The porcupine's body is covered by long quills

that look like needles. These are the porcupine's
weapon. The quills are very strong and the tips
are extremelv sharp. They pierce the skin of any
animal unfortunate enough to encounter them.

Most of the time ihe quills lie flat.

How the porcupine protects itself

$hen the irorcupine first sees an enernJ, it makes a

Nsuing sound *iih its quills to ffighlen ihe enem!.

If

the enemy doesnl run

aial,, the

porclLpine backs into

r"r r...ks' r'" l,il..'11"Fr. . q,'k're\"'

JD.

\\Ien

the quills hrr ar erem:

rhe] easih lall oll if tle

I orrupi.e. But lrher tlreJ
srick if tne e.emr s sknr.

$lx

rernovnrs ihem is dil1icult.

Efernies seld.m aLlacli tricl.

(-'
,

n ',
I
,
I

."1.

..:u:,*4f..'.

These have quills too

.
About

Hedgehog

Spint anteater

1."

To the Parent

t{o t}irds of ile

war dosn

rl5 rpln.. a tro(rl'ile:1,s rluill:

frorn 3 1. 1i iricles lii ]i rni
long, trlicl are the porcutin. s
fu iI dificrert ]lrm. T'heI ..De
out $Ien thJ louch an enernt. The

quills hare baibs that are vrJ

Iard to gel out (hcn they slick
lrto thirgs. Althongh the quills
are noi poisonous, i'om& ofre.

becone inil.ted, causins rleaih to

the arinal. Eecent slodies 1)lov

rhat ih hedgtrog's quills serte

Th! spinl anteaid ard redsehog als. hare quiils, but their luills aie
someir,Ijt shorter. Lnlike urc porculine, thcse alimals do n.'t us their

1",.'"..r'"

,,

;,",' "

".

".r'.r

".''',.".-.ol',

i'.:

,"- 1o
''

''d

,ns"\'e
o'rr.. I'

-.

not

1' as a

form of derinie.

, *, ,i a sort .r

blt

shock absorber
to cushion thc anldal againsr an-t

injnry

il it lalls out ol a

tree.

Eluo*

Does an Eagle
Catch Its Food?

(wv*f Eagles have sharp

eyes and fly high
in the sky
Iooking

for prey on
the ground
below. If an
eagle sees the
motion of a small
bird or animal it
dives quickly to
try to capture
the victim with
its sharp claws.

2!

Sharp clnss are alr eagle s wea]r.ns.

The Way an Eagle Hunts

And Captures Its Prey

tfu

jts wings bacli

$,hen an eagle spots a rablit

.in the qrourd it diles on
ihe fleeing animal with its

/
\

.--it1111"11i' _/
.

To the Pa.ent

Sone asles ln,e ned trater

and feed on fish. Olhers

prey usins iis

inhabiL mountainous aras

and catch small birds and

hut- asles
in a spi.al parrern

anjmals. On ure

ascend

usins uFdrails and searh

lor lrex from ahovc. Thei.

ls rcrl keen and

lhet are able to disiiryllsh
cyesight

distanl objects ritl a power

eigbt time! g?eater than tlat

.f

hnnaDs. Eagles have great

strqth in rleir talons and

use them to sqleez tneir
lictlms t! dt!. Ar aglt

sha.!, hooked bea.k tuaN the

flesh oI iis lrex ilto small
biie sized lieces bui is

not used lo kili or capiue.

hold

it firniy.

Why Does a Leopard

Take Its Food up a Tree?
linr*,

-'

Hyenas steal food from

other animais but can t
clinrb trees. The leopard
takes food up a tree
so it can't be stolen by
hyenas or olher animals.
That way a leopard won't
he disturbed as it eats.
Sloticd hlenas form pa{rks of uf to 10 .r more
arimals and i{ to steal the lelpard's lood.

:lf\,

The leopard takes its food up onto a tree brancl. H)enas

canl climb trees. so tle leopard can enjo] a quiet mal.

To the Parent

Tbe leopad is an er?ed cllmher md nakes very good

use ol trees. One use is to hide Iood in tle bn .,ies.
This is because the leopad must be on .onstanr aaicl
for atiacks lrom packs ol hycnas inienr on srealing
its FreI. !!tre! i,he lrey is too large to be eaien all

ai orce. il\e lefto\rN 1rolld Iikelx he todd if $.r'

$ere keli ai $ound lercl. A tal! tree is ihe natu.al

hiding place. Leopards als. lometimes lie in i'alt ln

ee blanches wher thX are hmtine. TheI can often
be f.und resting qnieilJ or raling an aftemootr nap
on a tree bmnch. L,nike lions, sniclr lunt in s.oups,
ihe le.prd huls alone nostly at niglt loohing for
lr g i
".,l -a- J" ..no o,-,. t. \rls .: P-' il3
rail or creping up close and slrinerng !])on preJ.

A leot ard sometimes waits in a tree for

prey a.d sprnrss on its lictim ftom alole.

A leopard in

2h

a tree

\r'ith its food

:,IW
-1"

Eluo* Does a Bear

Catch a Salmon?

eggs,
salmon swim upriver to
6*i As
bears stand on rocks near the river
1ay

banks and scoop the fish up with

their claws. Bears also wade in the
water to catch fish in their mouths.

,t1'llitj;r]

,l

st

r.ck ne
a riler bark l.lnd (,aits l,rr a
sal.r!r. to slriin rlose s. he
.3n .:r.h ir rnl his.liNs
lrear

ds

or

This brar has waded into thc riler to caich salnun with its shary
cmine teth. Its ieeth m:rl be an incl i2.; cm) or more in length.

.
Th. brosa bear is

To the Parent

ile lalger beaN, weigning as nucl s

Veights rary delendlng m wlere the bear

one oI

1,100 pomds {500 kg).

Ilvs. Bears Lhal live rvhere srlno. ale plcrtilul gro$ larger
thm ilose livine aqay r'rcm riv..s. ln additin to salnon and
tr.ut, blown bears also eat young d.er, small mmnrak, nrse$s,
and llmi rools or iruit. They nay also attrck fan annnals.

,iri

.,.j

l$lno Killer whales

Really Attack Larger Whales?

a1.*]t
v The kiiler rl'hale is lelated to the

ell as to other l'hales.

It eats fish, squid, penguins, seals,
sea lions and even porpoi-ses. ilIost
rvl.rales tlavel together in groups cailecl
poals. Sometimes a pod of killei'rvhales
has been knorvn to attack a much larger
u.hale such as the gi'eat blue u'hale,
l hich is the lalgest of all mammals.

porpoise as

-{ pod of killer whales attacking a humpback *hale

:,..

FI,,,
i:ij:l,iirl,il;tliii
iitfilllii'tiit
30

r.

Mal killer whale. It

ma), lre as long as 33 leet (10 m). and

its dorsal fin mav reach a heishr of ? feet (2

irl

iiiilriiiiriill

ilriilli ili lll rll 1l

i!rLr!!,, llrrllll ijrlillli jliili jiti,',,
lll lll liilllllrnr llll
ill !i iilirirltir litil)ir .
ilil

tl

llill lllrlll lli

m).

li

t,i;i rirriiii

iiii

ltIt

IlliilllllI
[ilier

wha]es can be fohd in oceans all aolnd tle

globe- but i}ey nosi ftequenuy live in tI middle ard

higher latitudes. Nomaliy kjller wlales live itr lods

rargng ln nmber toom fou to .40. The membd @operate
h hmtirg, drivirg schoois of salnon or tont inio
slullor vaters. The advdtage of moviDs in pods is
obvbus Nhn killr whales

try to attack ldger

wluies.

Eluo*

Can owls
Catch Animals in the Dark?

6m*i

Orvls have very good eyes and ears.

That's rvh5, they're able to catch
animals at night. Olvls can see
even u.hen there's only very Iittle
light. Their hearing is so sharp that
just by listening they can tell
rvhere their prey is and rvhich r,"'ay
it's running. Even on the darkest
nights with no light at all, ou'ls can
catch their prer simply b5 listening.

r{e
'til,

,:

.1,

-$

To the Parnt

The slc(ess oI .wts in huniing at night is du ( tleir

exceplio.al[ keen sNes of sight and hea.ing. Sone

slecies lhat hunl lll'e ar night can tell the posiilnn

of thcir pre! $itl greal ac.ura., bJ sound alone. Thcsc
species har. fcatlels .n ihe1l laces iiEl a(l as sou.d
collecrors to antlilt .rcn tle fainl.st noises. TIe
o?fs ea.s a.c positioncd as\limetricalh lo help il
pinpoinl &e eu.t posltion and dir.cti.n !f lts prey.

Thr masked owl is xlert durnrs

lhc niAht. Elen in pjtch dark
it can tll jusi fr.n th-" s.Lrnd
i! whi(h direct n its pre"v is
nLnring.

If ihe tre\, hies to

escnle bJ chan!:ing dnectnr.,

ihe.\rl .rn

srill

f.ll.r!

3n.l

ihe! snq)! dow. and .anture it.

aa

r'1
,t

,d'$

1'{

.a -, ot'

Elrfo* Can Bats Catch Insects

Even on the Darkest Night?

(amv,rf Bars make sounds

that are murh too

hish -[or us ro hear. The sounds

trivel in invisible waves through
the night sky. When the waves strike
a flying insect, the sound bounces
back, or echoes. The bat hears this
with its huge ears. It's like radar.

Bats make high-pitched sounds that travel in ultrasonic waves

KI
Bats l.hat send oui ulrraso 'wales from iheir nose us a
nauol' heam that s$'ecps back and {orth like a searchlight.

Ultrasonic waves
from the nose

Ultrasonic waves

Bats that send ultrasonic waves ftom their mouth give off
lulses that spread oui o!r a $-ide aiea in froni oI them.

To the Parent

Tle nethod thsi bats 6e to pinpoint th posiiior of Prey uerg

ulrrso.ic echoes is called ecto locatioL Beause of tleir ligl
ftequency, ultraBonic waves are refleled ever fron objects as
eAl ; an inect- SoDd that is audibl to hua s las lone
wa.J<orlxs Lia du no. bo-"o ba,' \p-\ sPll"on 'mal''lr"'..
and,o
e"r t& on tr r!tp.rpr ur'-$i', ra\e. ',.dviea"
o. in'.' p@y
aaonni 're ":... J'rp.ion. .n+ do pnc'iL,

-q.

bat catching moths >

This kn of L,ai. sends ont

ultrasonic wal.cs 1\'om lts
nose io {uni nroths iI the
dark. Notice the peculiar
shape of the Lai's nose.

Eluo*

Does a Kingfisher
Catch Its Food?

lmsmi The kingfisher is a bird

th.t catches fish for food.
Hovering above water, it
looks for small fish. When
it sees something it likes
it folds its wings back and
dives into the water. Under
the water it quickly uses
its beak to catch the fish.

.--

\\iiih irs heslr ii m.kcr r}e ghh

lt diles headfi.sr inio

the warer.

$iiih

rhe fislr in its mouth ure kingliiher c.nres

lLit.l ih. nlcr'

When the kingfisher swallows a fish

fi*)@
\___ ffi
.

To the Parent

Tlr. klagli:Ier cax h.ver in

nlnl2ir.

r .! r 1 rr.h t ,1r r. i 1\cs

nt. rhc $a1e \\h'r lr h t. r,.

\\nFn

watr

tle 1rF

e'ings are lolded L,acli

into a tredg. This shipe ninimi4s

iraler reslstmce so *. rnr oi th.

TIe liinstisher iurns the Iish :lroufd

so lhat it will uo dlrn hcadtifn.

Taill'ilsl. it

dile is n.t dis:ipated The morn..r

ii grabs lle lish ir its l,.2li ii
spreids iis (ing; rhi(h a.t as a
trnkc to srlp ilc dne. \\nile the
Iird is urder th rater iis res
ar. ..re.!d bt, lfot(live ,r.ml,ranes.

3i

How Do Polar Bears Live

In a Land of Ice and Snow?

(wwri Most polar bears live alone

and wander over floating
sheets of ice in search of
their prey. Their main
source of food is seals.
Thc sed has mad a holc in the ice
so

ii

can breathe. Thc

pol

lear

waiis beside ihe hol. and catches the

seal irhen it comes up for fresh air.

:.:: .

tt
I

t.i:.,

:"j

")

iii'

yr

l!I{y

,,i\

tL

t Xtll-

Poi
and

bears lire m the 1:Lr norrh on rhe lslands

al..g tn .old se.r.uan oi the Arctic o.ean

The Polar Bear's Special Fur

1.'

..,.o:
',t,/

-7

6.'.-A

Polu L,enr. nre c.npleielr' (ortred

riill a coat .l lrlite fur lLhich Llends
nr well wiur the white of the ic.' .tnd

sxN

so

lrel

can

t easll!

se

then.

Polar lears hare fur gro\rin!. on lheir

This hakes it easJ 10. ihem io
Nnlk or run across fields !1 ice and
sno{. witlout the dangrr 01 slilping.

rars.

'l'heir whitc col.lt keeps the heat liom

escapinli. The] als. haie a thick
nndercoal

!f lur so ihel stel werm

$.rsi cold.

ard tumturLtLle in the

Ir

\olemher or December a mother

polar bear di!:s a dcp lrlle l. a
sr!\Ldift for her dr!. A month
or t{. laier shc gives hlrtl to
!. or th.ec cutrs. a.d th]' slc!

/, /.

.1.

I _ '(
---1.---\ar

s.ngl! in ih. den wiih her uDtil

sp ns {r)mrs. The bear cubs staJ
lriil their moihrr lor ahout hto
years aftr thry'rc born so that
she ran led and care f.r tlem.

,,

To the Parent

The scond largesi lahd

cdtui\ore, i polar bar
nar-' {eigh 1.600 Funds
(72ij kg) Th \thite coar
plorides @.uflage and
proiecUon nlm rh cold.
nolor
The Nhte hairi
protecii.h
and glre th bear"rc
br Ftaiiing ,Lnosi all oi
i|. body leat, Eeneath tlrs.
Polir bears ai. rerr" good swnnmers
:ind can nat in the rarcr 1or hours.
\\iarer doesn't soali lhrough ttreii lur, s,r
they don t get rcl i. ihe sli! or los.
Lr.rd: trear eren \rn.'n it s lreezin!: c.ld

}ails thc aninul has a plush

uderoar olfu to keep ii w.rm.
Ttr polar bearl pdncipal
sou@ ol f.od is the seals

it

attrcks

in tlet

lois or out on the ice

breathing

tek.

ffi

Why Do Rhinoceroses Have Horns?

..--'

They use their horns lor protection.

Rhinocero-ses are knorvn io be verv
strong and at.e not often attacked by
their enemies. When something
threatens a ),oung rhinoceros, r.hich is
still very rr eak, the mother lights for it.

.axsalql

\\,i,.

is,.

''.'

"i

The Rhinoceros's Secret

\
Rhinoceroses do.'l hale shnrp eles. lhel re
nearsighred, \Iich nEans ihel'can'l see far.

,/H.s
.1-a\\ -

The\, have sersiiive ears and a keen s.nsc oI

smell. Nitlr ihem ther ratch out for enemies.

rerl strong. \ot eren a

$'otrkl dare Lo atrack these powlrful animals.

Aduli rhino@roses are

liln

To the Parent

'riEre are live spe.ils of rlinoceroses in tnc lvorld. Th

ShF t.FieF the rnEmr

u. I er I.m.

hdiar rhinocer.s and the Java rhinocero: have only one

lom. -{ll th othr sFcles luve t{o. 1he species most
comlDnly displated in zoos is the black rniuoccros 1.om
Al.i.1. ' .pie ol 'p', rr!,gr nir,.P' ...
o. 'Eer oi dvin..'o' A .'o.g' r' 'ts 'h-_
",.1'
the law- poache$ lill them lor their lorns, which are
palis
prelare
sull nsed ln
.edain lotions.
of Asla t

,11

El wr,;, Do Rattlesnakes

Make a Rattling Sound?

6**D

Rattlesnakcs use theil i'attles tr.r ..ciu e

their enemies. 'fhe snake-* have a
I,oi.onuus bite. TIrer can usp tIei) loiion
to hill small animals to eat. But the1.
make a rattling souncl to scale arral'
humans ancl other' lalge anim:rls. The
snakes at'e afraicl thev might be hult ol
killecl them-qelves.

How they make their tails rattle

The rattle on the end of a
r:rttlesnake's tail is made
of skin. Like all snakes.
rattlesnakes shed iheir
skin as the] grov. This is
called m,rlting. \\ihen the
rattlesnake molts, the oid
skin that remains becontes

Skin remaining
after molting
Skin from the
scond molting

il..L

.,"-,'iae
''riF

r,,

sli'l

''

'*t@+
'!"^** 1''

,ti..".

a rattle. \{hen the snake

shakes ils iail, the drl
skin nukes a sound \.er-\,
much like a baby l'attle.
\{hen a rattlesnake is

hatched
so

it

it hasn't molted

has no rattle-r at

all. Yotl car tell the age

of a rattlesnak b! the
numbr of rattles, one lor
each

tine it

has molted.

Tip of the tail

-{ newborn mttlesnake has no ratue.

The ralile gro(s $irh each new molt

;.L ".

Doesn't the Sound of the Rattle

Warn the Rattlesnake's Prey?
wl]en rattlesnakes huri, they don't
makc arJ ro:se. Thel approach their
prey Yery quietly. To do this they
keep their tails lifted up and off
the ground to make sure they don't
make any noise with their rattles.

'

To the Parent

\\tEn a!1, large &eatue appoaches, a ranlesnale will

nr\. a oBe ri(hmp%,"o
'eIp-",.bil
Ilo.r a i^a.. indud'ng ' ran.. rdr 'lpdr b4muep jrr\
know {hat nrakes the nolse. The ratusnake is highly
loisono6, bnt il can be killed eslly if ii is biher
br a coyote or tmmpled by a larse animal. The snate
.o.nd|r5 diJ'rive $dmng .o aro.d 6u.h dJjCpr..

,lll

Eluo*

Does a Scorpion Sting?

A scoipion's stinger has poison

it. To kill its prey the scorpion
uses the stinger

tn

to shoot poison

into the animal. There are more

than 600 kinds of scorpions
in the world. Onl), a few of them
can harm a person. A scorpion
that lives in Africa's Sahara
is one of the most poisonous.
Another dangerous scorpion lives
in the southrvestern Ilnited States.

Onlya few scorpions canhrui Iou. llutjust

safe, rou shouldnt

try to llck

one

tole

n!.

r"s. rlF
hh.r . . ,-nor 5-....',.ri.,q i t"\
''. rpor"r""b.L ,, .-1o'r'''i g.'. ra o

There is a poison sac

inside the tail. The

thc iail tn.lush the

sharply lointd

ti!.

To th Parenr

The roryion nomaly i.habiG uolical and suirtrolical rcgions

sliere it is {ard all rear.ound. The Morpion s tlvo large clars
ar6 LVil ;r Lotdi.p ,,r 1. L,i i5 !..,i
is s g F Jn "."r,
yeapo!.
more fomidable
1tre aoryion uses its sting on spide.r,
graq.IopD,,.. a.n r'mih":1-4
llofp ri,.J, u00 juryon .!F,.p.
dist worldside, bnr onrr a re{. are abte to kitt a trlmn beins.

Why Do Hippopotamuses
Alwa.ys Stay in the Water?
has skin that's
rhinner than other ani'"nals skin.
This means moisture is lost very
easily. If a hippopotamus didn't
keep itself wet, its body would
dry out, and then it would die.
The hippopotamus stays under the
water's surface all day to stay
wet. Its eyes, nose and ears are
near the top of its head so it can
stay aimost completely underwater.

@@ The hippopotamus

).

!a

--:g--

);

A Day in the Life of a Hippopotamus

h

sinys cool and

{ei

in ih. rrater all da}.

In th-" er,ening it omes u! onto ttre land.

,'*

m-

lx#&,.r'.

..@..tt
.1
| i':...a

.e&

Iiir,
r(iili :
lD the moming

it

goes hack into ttre water.

Du.nrg the nighi

ii fe.ds on

.
Hip!o!otamuses like

t.

eat srass on land.

TheI alwat s take the
same path to their

s?ass and

otier llanrs.

To the Parent

Since the skir of tne hippopolamus is exhemely t!i.,

doistu is easily losl, so it says uder vater all

day. Oihrwise it Fould snJJer from dehydmtion. The

nostrils and ers ol ure hiplototamDs cm be closed e
that {ater does not nter wlen the sinxrl submerges.
The hiplop.tamus moyes with greai lAliiil i! ihe water
a.d car snbme.s lo depths ol more than 35 feei (11 n).
It ca stat down fo. periods of hve minutes or more.

El wh, Do Wolves Howl?

ai"swr

Wolves live in groups called packs.

Each pack has its own territory where
it hunts for food and raises its young.
Wolves hou'l to tell other wolf packs
rvhere their territory is. When wolves
hear this howling, they usually don't
enter the other wolf pack's territory.
If they do enter, there's a fight.

lir"
tl L!
,t.
!1!

it\,: ,.: \1r: ;i r

Ir Ir.B

'

...tt:;,''.:;': ). " '

t\eo

rflh

,i,

ir#
T

\:'-\rt:r.

iti,

i-l

1'.il

':'
t: l'r
Li

How Wolves Live

Each wou pacl has a lQder. All the

In.w rhicl wolf is lhc

Leadr

rrdles xr the pirk

that thet musl lollow.

r,

\\:olles hunt in packs. Tle\rre ablr io catctr prel Ltrnuse

xll of the nembers ol the lack (ooperite in the lunt.

In slri|g ihe r'.lf.ubs ere b!m. The)ie raised not onlr

by iheir o\r. m.ther |ut l)J all rhe woh.es iD the ra(li

To the

P,rcrt

!l aliotrL 15 animals. A taclr

teritorl' measld.g ij io 12 miles (10 lo 20 kn)
in diMeter. Wolvcs hoq'l to proGct rhal lerilury. -{11
,enb!'. or 'h- Fa(La, r,E",h.r 1rr .." ., .nd,a-i.
ar far as six niles (10 kn). SometinN ore pa.k may
howl in r.sponse to rhe trowliDs ol anotler. lf thi.
rcspoN c w@k. thcJ run.he.isk of beiqt atiacked.
Wolves nos'l norc in the qirier {hen the matlng season
beeins, but lole wolves do nol rcsplrd io ihe lorhrs.
No.nallt

may have

woh'es form pa.ks

',Elwn, Do Hyenas Eat

Other Animals' Food?

(,*! Hyenas eat Ieftoverslions

from animals that
have killed, and they
eat other dead animals
too. That kind of meat

is called carrion. It's

not always rotten. But
even if it is, hyenas
can eat it. They don't
get sick because their
bodies are not harmed by
germs in rotting food.

,,,',,,ifrilti,illWi',,,*,,,,'

$":

,,:

Ar

I.,

t ed

,s

th.

h
&o

Are Leftovers the Only Things

Hvenas Eat?

.- t-"
.a On the attack.

Spotted hyenas rormaUr hunt aL nighi, but ihis phonrsrarh shows a mre davlisht hunt.

The striped hyena and the brown hyena

actually live on nothing but dead meat
left by other animals. But the spotted
hyena not only eais cardon; it hunts
for itself. It mav even attack a pride
of lions and trv to steal their food.

Striped hyena. Ir

roams

nr

in rcarch of food.

To the Parent

Hyenas hare sturdy jaws that c2n

drsl

bones, and

strong digestiv juices that nake then excellenl

scavense.s. Thei. sastric juices a.e bacte cidal
so the, do mt becohe sick even alter ealing lood
Lhat h* been roiting. The slotted ht-ena Nnali)-'

gts its lood bJ hunting or by slealirg pre!.

St otted h]'enas

rill

sieal food ftom a leopard or a cheetah.

r
I

What Do Rabbits Eat

During the Winter?

.--.- p.orrl

6nswrq\

spring through autumn

rahbits eat different kinds of
grasses. When winter comes and
the fields and mountains are
covered with snow they eat dry
grass, dry leaves, the buds
on trees, bark, roots and twigs.

/\

ill
rl

hil,i.ing a twig
I

,ti

rrish this

Leaf buds

Feet for walking on snow

Rabbiis hale hair on their patr

tl\ai thcl can walk on dee!

erow $'lihout sinkins inio ii.
so

12

Leaves

Bark

Sleeping on top of the snow

Rehbits often sleel nr hollors in tlre sno{

.n the sLurn! soLLthedr slope of a hill.

p
Do in Winter?

What Do
Some animals hibemate
ilhile others continue to

II
I

Fox

Raccoon.lt sonetimes
fli(-" s,Iere the
(inters are lerr sercic.
in a

xtonleys, fores and field nice

sta} acrive in ihe winter.

Snakes and lizards

Thev like to

To the Parent

n.bbit! r.rnnllt .rr dr. le,re. d

.rerareeh ind othr lemLer lrlarls lilie

(hid reed or tlafdelt Bxi nr tL,. lrlnm'
rnirX !lut. {li. nut or ar r.rererl rtrh

I
[,*,,""

snor. tliLLils DuJ rhen eal air thnrgrrPl

(!n ftrl, lilre rlre bal.L.1...s Tl],,r..n

surrir. th. dnt.. .lrinA fuihnrg

bur L,alL

Elwnut

Do Boars Use Their Noses For?

mswrn These relat ir e. of cummon pigs and hogs

can r see things rery uell. lnstead ther

have a very good sense of smell. They can

detect things from distances of up to 1,600
feet (500 m). \\ ild boars may also use
their sensitive nose to look for food
under the ground. When a tild boar finds
something good to eat, such as a tender
young root, it can dig it out with its
sharplv pointed tusks and tough snout.

What wild boars eat

\\'ll,l b.afs.nn snjii.ut fn.o tlat

s nndi

>r:i

th.

gr

Roots
Lrd.

.::

\'-\

'o a, /.' '4

5.0
/l

,/,.,11

C:

1..

)i

,' -t,\

The b.ar's long snout is !.rr LNeiL rthen

it ranrs nr .lig u! lood liom nnder
the groun.i. Its snoui is crlrernel."_ nrugtr
afd strons so e noa. (ur dig 1,er) fast.

How a Wild Boar Lives

ln spring the female *,ild boar normally has
four to six babies. They stay \\,ith their
mother tiom spring right through to lvinter, but
about the end of u.inter they go off alone.
Wild boars u,ill eat an5,thing. \1re call such
animals omnivores. Wild boars look for food in
the lorest and sometimes in farmers' fields.

r. Eating grass. lt will eai just a little

be.ause tiis is not real ! , la\briie.

Boars

lale lrliie

markin,rs

urtil ller're

nbont si\

nu.tls.ld.

r \\ild lrcars arc rerr good ss'immers.

.

To the Parenl

inside ]]he lose of tle {ild boar

is exlredel! r,ell dereloped. Tle end is shaFd
1lii.. tlar djrl lr.nr r:hl.h th! n,:tils o!er
out. T|e boar\ l.gs a.c sho.t. $hen rt lowrs

Tle Ltrtilase

its }cad thc srout is lressed flat against ilie

ground, maklng it easJ Jor tie boar io :eek out
undrground sour.es of food. The lvild boar\
sense of sncll is as s.od as a doe's. The boa.
snifls c.nstantlt as it novs sloul, and wncn
it snells sonething to eal il roots up
the eartb wlth its eoul- \\"hen a fcmale boar
is abont lo give birah. she vill dig a sim!]e
nesi, in Ure gomd and lirc it sith grass and
leaves. The srout also comes i' hmdv dnriry
the Eaung season. \dre! thc mal b.s lresses
Iis nose agaiNt th ienalc as he couis her.

Wild b.,ars like benrs in ttre warcr

lerr nrch.

e There No Feathers
Vulture's Head?
Vultures feed on the flesh
of dead animals, called
carrion. This meat often
rots and has germs. If
the vulture's head had
feathers they would get
covered with germs when
it ate. Since it is bald
the head stays clean.

a'$
b^:

lf

a vulrure s head goi

dirtJ, germs ivould gror.

Pecking at carion. \:!liues tai

dead a.jmals and rrr kllied L,r' lilns.

The ra)s
head and

.f

the sLl. drr the

tle gerns s.on die.

,{ r.ullrLlt lloLs 1u a dend arxnal

trlich ii nill swoor do*n Lo.er.

Snfre rnltrn'pr lr)rc r'r27r

lr.r!lr

To the Parent
.l]Ie h(L !llerLher-. of

rr! rultn,! s h.rrl:s als! r xd.!ia!l.n

finMI .f .nro,.,,r,n,r hn(L srr.h rs llF ..fdor rxl the
arliutur jtul. 11 nrere \re lerthcls .r tir{rsc linlr he:ds
ther mrl.l hare tronl]I,. Iid,Fin! thrn (]eu. The { \nr.'s nicr
rn.rJnrcLudc

is

g!ftrgclrlrllrernieir

Its

br uimals th,t h.}e iusi di!.i ,rfr.t

jr(Lr.n.r, h0\rer.
ri. pr.r 01liori.

57

Elffo*

Does a Flying Squirrel Fly?

flving squirrel doesn't really

6wmi
.--- The
fly. It spreads out a flap of skin,
or membrane, that stretches from
its front legs to its back legs.
This lets it glide on air currents.

That's also hou. hang gliders work.

A eixnt fllins slruirrel glides thrnxeh tle air at niglt.

58

Gliding From Tree to Tree

The giant fl5ring squirrel glides fron
high in one tree to lou, in another.
it Jmds a plnce
it rould like io l:.nd
it jumls inlo ihe en'.
Once

-;:-.'l'.ir..

."

'," , "*\ -r..'n.

.,1.:r

:..-. , ..

,ti\

It

g-lides on

*,$
'

. iit-

i'-\

ir.:'
r!n
iL

hishr in the

It srabs the lranch wiih

its clas's wlren ii lands.

.1.
':i:..'i

.i

Other animals that glide using membranes

Flring secko

Flying lemur

ie;,

'

,,a.:''

To the Parent

sjad fl$rs squnrel is seldom

ft is nocturnal. h is
chadtriad by iis flr1ng menbEne,
Dhic! is an extecion ol the skin
thai cole$ its bodJ. It ca nomalll'
The

Been be@use

Flying frog

gljde 60

90 feer (18 ro z7 m) bui

co mamge as lar as 600

fet (180 m). 1t &t ody flieE
in a 6irai{ht lihe blt @n use ils
tun tu chegE d@etion od can eren
hore up or down. Th EEasie fl}lng
squirEl is shaped like ihe giant
sometimes

Flying lizard

flyins squirel bul is huch shaller.

IIa1.e

r'.u

seen an.v of

thcs. alinals ln a rool

Is It True That Moles Will Die

If They See the Sun?

live in holes thar they dig
under the ground. They verS seldom
appear on the surface. Even if
they do come out and see the
sun they won't die.

r\swrq Moles

\ tel o.l] ! heitre. Lr r

.la1L. lhpr LJ.'t .Fe m r.l cl"e

l\I"lei Li. r".l

heht

..

Moles have such poor

eyesight that they can
barely detect light.

The mole's body

4..

Why Do People Say a Mole Will Die in Sunlight?

No one knows ho\r, people got th idea
that a mole $'ill die if it gets into
the sunlight. People ha\,e mant'' wrong
ideas about animals. Th truth is
that moles must eat constantlv. The!
i-an die if the!, go ${thout food for
as lev as thre hours. It could be
that someone $.ho had caught a mole
forgot t0 leed it and the mole died.
It would be asl to guess that being
in the suD n-as th reason that the
mole had died. Or ma),be people sot
the idea from seeing moles that had
come up above ground and had died.
Xlloles like

(10

I'h.tl

w.,uld halpen

iI a mole {as

carLsht

someonc $h.r then lorgot to l'eed

iil

Thtir

ILLI

is

The mole's secrets

lert

Moles can hear, bul

Uoles ha' l'ut flc\ible Lodies. A m.le ca. iur.

amund when it wrnts io. elen i. a nanoq'tnn.el

The tail is

xlo es ha\,e yert sia4r noses and ar

,aood

at sniffiIg out ea.thworms ln the ground.

Bfore a moie eals an

-"arthn'.rm ]i squeezes
ihe dili in Uic bod"v
of the earthsorm

do,n

roward ihe iail. Nert

the head. \\'hen it's

tail. TIai ra) all

the dirt in ihe $orm
can be squeezed .rut.

To the Parent

The body of the mole is adaged io lile undcrgrcund.

The forelegs, shich are u*.1 fd digging, ar shaped

thc nrle wasn't given nnJ lood lo eal hr

ilree n.rrrs.r hore li $o!ld rrrn. lli d.rrh
11

like sloRls. The eas. rnich could gel ir ihe sa!,

are atrcphied. Sin c it iircs in a Norld oJ dalkness
the eles arc also lhoDhjed ard hidder tudr dehbrMes.
Tlus ii a mole spre io see the snn it \rculd be able
t! Gll oily tlat it irar bright. Sulight sould not
kill the nole. But because it musi eat onstantl, iL
could easily sta e to dealh il ir $ere lor i! , cage-

,Eloo Giraffes Make Sounds?

\$

(r"s** Have you e\er heard a giraffe

;n the zoo making a noisel
Probably not. The giraffe is
an animal that almost never
calls out. But sometimes the
call of a giraffe mav be heard.

,$F

.s,
's

sl

r-

l;

$i
Vocal cords

To the
To the
lungs

,A.imais can make noises

because they have vocai
cords. Pe.ple can talk
be.allse the.! hale ihm.

62

$,

When Do Giraffes Cry Out?

Giraffes seldom call out although they
can make several different noises. They
can make a kind of grou'1ing sound. They
also make a funny noise u,ith their noses.
They make these noises rvhen they feel
hungrv, r.hen the mother and father call to
each other or when they see an enemy. Babv
giraffes make a kind of squeaking sound.

'to.'

,'J

Male and female giraffes in the $'ild

ses
The\ ,1ll ,rhrn tlrc] feel hu.gr\.

To the Parent

For a long time people lhousht that ihe siralT. Ms

voi@les, bui in recenL rars observ?N havi .ecoded
a vrfietl ol crie6 and ca.Is- ltese cies s&m to ho of
tst i!?es. One is an emotional ca and hav indiBte
for insimce that the anioal is unlrapp!, sniDrised or
lo.ely. The other type of cry is for communicatiotr.
to mm othe. gimJies of ine !.esence of an enemy, fo.
exmlle. Giuffes' oies nostlr ol the en.rional
l$e. They seldom cry out to commuicate oiUr the he.d.
TheJ also call

if thet

see an enem}

El no Snakes Have Ears?

nrsmr Snakes don t have ears that you
can see. Ther don t have earholes
either. So y&'d ,l"u". know from
looking at a snake that it has

ears. But snakes do have a kind

of ear that's inside their head.
Ir's located near the lowe. iaw.

r. Snake's

head.

Y.u.in

see

tle

e)es. the nose an,l the

moutl Lut can.!olL

see

an)

ears?

@
A

,o". That Mean They Can't Hear Anything?

snake can hear noises but not very well.

doesn't hear noises coming through the
air as humans do. \Vhat a snake can hear is
Yibrations that come through the ground. These
sound wayes pass from the ground to the bones
of the jai,r, and then to the bones of the ear.
That's the r,ay the snake picks up sounds.

It

.5r.

Animals that seem to have no ears

llole. lt

There are many animals that

don't appeai to ha1,e ears
but that realll' (lo ha1.e tltem.

doesn'i

''

,-)
Lizard.

Ther"e are

Porpoise.

tl..ugh its

Bird. Ir

.-\
Frog. The ears
ar Lelo{, and

01 a

t. iht

-t -;

l', 'g
snle

or thr eles. \'ou .an .ren

seethef gs

h5s ears

ear.lrums.

To the Parent

Snakes do nor appear ro haye eArs.

lileir extemrl

ear

slrftiu,s and e ea.nob,. have entirely disppeared.

Be.a$e the inner ear stiLl cxists tl.y are abl to
hear loises, ho,erd imledectly. Snakes cs har oIlJ
lo$, vibraiions Lecame o!]y a single bone is comcted
to Uie .jawhone to trarsmit sounds to ttre i!ne. ea..

li

'Elwr,ut's the Largest

Poisonous Snake?

irwwrf The largest poisonous snake in the

u.orld is the king cobra, which lives
in India and Southeast Asia. Because
it's so big it has a lot of poison.
The poison is strong, and the king
cobra's bite can kill an elephant.

,{
\
\
,

r*
I

King cobra. lt

livcs

Dr

I.dia and Southeast Asia.

Sometimes it is as l.rrrg as
]E feei (5.; nr. An nngrJ
kins colra swlls up its

tir.at. formlDg r lood.

l his snal<e is danserous
ii ir's a.srl or hunsn.

An elephant caD die il it

is bitten bt a kins rol.a.

A snake's fangs
Water moccasin

Fangs

The loison is troduced l,y tle

jn ihe smke s utper
roison gland
Then
it
iaw.
soes to ihe lanss.

What Happens When a Poisonous Snake Bites?

Il

Snakes use two kinds of poison. One

kind attacks the nervous system.
The other causes prlin and su,e11ing.

rou re bit.er h\ a sfdle ;t

dolsn't mee. 1.u ll die. bLri ]!u

sirould go to a hostitrl right atrr\.

ThcI hare.re,]il,l.e

l,,

r srdLel,irfs.

How do people recognize a nerve-poison snakebite?

coral snake

The coral snake, cobra and

some other snakes u-re

nerle

poison. Theil bite isn't

especially painful, but
aiter a $-hile the victim
is unable to move. Then the
victim can't brcathe. That's
because the poiso goes to
the neNes and ihe hfain.

How do people recognize a blood-poison snakebite?

The pit \,iper and othr

\.ipers us a blood poison.
Their hites are \.erl painlul
and quickl]' cause swelling.
\\ihe. the poiso mo\,es
through the bodr the muscles
and organ-q are poisoned.

Tht biic hurts

Unusual poisonous snakes

Al

llre rattlesnxke, whidr lilei

in N0th Anerna, makes
noise witlr a rattle !n its
iail to srnre its enemies.

,{frlcan sritiing cllra ran spjt

el. oi ils enen!.

I oir,rn into the

To the Parent

are re largcsl p.isonons

h Ue rorid 'fh.y can rea.h
l8 ial 155 dl in lcn$h. Thel e

I<ing cobms

rnakes

placld afd d. n.t atta.k unless

clrnered. A snakbitr does nol .rcan
ilrai deaih is ineriiable. Tnc victin
can often be srved il ihe approp.iat
aniivenin is injated in tine. Be su
to (minli J,rur clild ihat most ol lhc
snakcs in &e world are quitc hamles:.

ulual\

Spitting cobra

Rattlesnake

ffi#

no* Can a Mongoose

Defeat a Cobra?

(wr9l A mongoose is a mammal that

lives in India. It is famous
because it can kill cobras and
other poisonous snakes. A
mongoose can attack faster
than the eye can see. It kno$-s
just the right time to pounce
on a cobra and just where to
bite. Once the mongoose bites
it refuses to let go no matter
holv hard the cobra squeezes.

l\'Ien the robra's hred is raised, the neck i!rcrds our

so ttrat the bod! {ill llok muc} hjsger. The cobr's

weap.ns are its poisonous Iangs and lts liglrrtrrg-lasr

sfikes. The monrroose must trair loru chrnre t; attn.k.

In th small pause just before

tlc

cobm

stril<es. the mugoose makes its attack.

The m.ngoose has lo strike onlr lor the
,:ohra's lerd ll lr s'nrir r,i,le{F,i ii

'!r1i-

'llre

in.fg.6e tihe! its atta.Is

strili.s. I1 ldcs tn

n,

sh$!lI !!irlrLl

.,*

tle fol)re s
h.d \ itll,,

sciTe ihe snake 3

,'
l
lnrhnfe t.
sirre lr s flrt ,,,].',
,

the

l,

..Lrx s !e.nm,

\\hen the mongoose has the colra j. its

ia{s, the r.'bra fighis back. It wraps

lodl tighrly iir,rund thc monAoose

aDd then slLreezes as hard as it can.
its

o To the Pa.ent
The monsoose lives on a diet ol

small rodenls, reptiles, lrogs,

esgs. li.ds. insecis and f.uit.

Il.hougtr nor. lond of s.akes

as fnod. ile nong.os attacks
eYen loisonous slakes

rith.ui

fear. Usullv LLe monsoose {ill

rir be.ause it is rery aglle.
'flre skiil pitl qlrictr a m.ngoose
can erade a coblat sirike and
thcn attack th. snake's head is

spectacrla. The lact that thc

smke st.ik.s ir a sct pattern

plaXs an nrFo.tmt lart in the

slNnal of thc mongo.se. \!le.

No maticr how |nrd the m.lgo.se is {ueezed, it won't release

its grir) on ih. cobra's hea.l. The mo.goose's onlt'n'earons are
its shar! crnile teelh. (hirh can liilt th. poison.irs s|alie.

the snake raises lts head to

slrilie, ile norAoose darts into
stdkiig nnge. 1l the honqoose
is unsary enolgh t gei bitte!
thc snake's venon {ill Lill it.

ElOo

Piranhas Attack People?

(rNst,r1)

ths piranha is known lor

its very sharp teeth.

Stories are told of people
who go into a river full of
piranhas and are attacked by
these meat-eaters. In fact
piranhas do not normally
attack people. They prefer
small fish or animals that
are injured or weakened.
Usually when a person is in
water near a prranha the lish
will swim a\\ray and hide.

70

Normallr !fuanhas won'i attack

pople.

The dusky piranha. Iis raar sharp teettr and powerfnlja{'s are tlre pjrantra's fearsoine nealons.

How Piranhas Live

(
Piranhas eat meat. 1l iheJ see a l'ish ihat s w.alt

the) trili ittack !.n il

it's an.ttrer liranna

\\lre. tle

red-bellied liranha is Jouns

il

has a

disrinctire rcd malklns like blold on its blh.

If

a rveak rir injnled

nrores in a nranse

aiinal lells

(ar pirnhas

l.t

a rire. or
ahack righl awal

ost fish jusi lal egss and leare rhenr alone.

the mal. pira hn stals nea.b! t(, guad thcnl

lut

Sorne types of piranhas don't eat meat

To ihe Parent

TIe liranha is a.tually a rathr

tinid creatntu. ll a peFon goes
inro a nver UEt ls inhabitd bJ
senerallr lide
rira as rlre lish
amoq ile rate. plarrs. Sohetlmes

a .urious pi.anha may nudge th.

!*on but n.rnalil pi.anlas d.
nol aria.k. Their teeth. trowever,
are ex.rerell sharp, dd a larce
ani al .ar be qnicllr rednced t

skeleton. Srme peolle

keep

like

li.anhs as decolaiile

bur on shodd netel ptrt a

&)

fish.
haDd

or linger into an aquadd rith

The winlpled lilanha brushes ngainst
lnler fish and eats their scal.s.

S.ne lilanhas lire mainly on

\,,ite. plants. not on meat.

limnhds. The .esult .ould bc a

srcre injurX or loss ol a nnser.

Elno*

Do Koalas Look After

Their Young?

htswri When a koala is born it crawls into

-'
its mother's pouch right away. It
stays there as it grows and gets its
mother's milk right inside the pouch.
When the baby is big enough to come
out the mother carries it on her back.

BabJ koalns are ilwars carried

around hJ their mottrer-..

As ioof as it's horn Lhc LaLJ cta(,ls

irto e pou.h on the moLlicr's lt.nach

,'. ..

,-(.

The bah-r can cran

It attx(rres its.lI t. ttrc

mirlPr s. li (xn dink milk

s.mc \lz. rs r.onr.

The Koala's Secret

About the time this
little Australian
marsupial stops
drinking mi1k. its
mother begins to feed
it on a diet of

eucallltus lear.es
she has half e:rten.

[]ren it ca. first

.r.{

leare ihe pouch it

s in ard ont for about

hlo

monLhs.

1\'11en

the motlrer koxla innrps fronr one tiee

uother her laLr lolds lnlo lrer fnr tielth.

i.

r1;;-i
l.cr ",rf
!

it rajls tle mother koala rra|s h.rseli aronn,l

ball s. ihat it doesr't get {et and catctr.!lLl

\Yhen

the

To the Parent

l,llic the liangzror, wlich also lilcs lr ]\usn'.lia, rl:.

koala ir a marsur,ial. en :nnnal that ldnis alter ns

i.unA in

lolLh o. ihe m.lher': atlionen. (oaLr: rornullr

about.? ildrer i18 dni) lnrg and w.lgl,;.2 ouncc (5.t s)

TIe moiher carrics the babl ar.un.l on ho

lacl on.e it s to! Lig to gei into the loucll.

Ab.nr six muthr larer it la3 gr.xm r. a l.neth .l

eisl,l inches (20 .ml and is readr ro leive the l)iu.h

ElWn,

Do Alligators Bury Their Eggs?

(nmv* That's how they get them to

hatch. Saltwater crocodiles
and the American alligator
build nests near the water
and lay eggs in them. Then
the mother covers them with
a big mound of vegetation
8 to 10 feet (2% to 3 m)
u,ide and 40 inches (1 m)
high. Heat produced by the
decaying vegetation makes the
eggs hatch. The mother will
guard the eggs for the three
months it takes them to hatch.

..--

American alligator. 1i tir.s in the swamps,

ponds aml diers of tle souiheasrern Lnlred States.

'l'he temlerature inside

is ab.,ut 85" F. (30' C.)
,4. female guarding
her nest of ggs

'Ir:l

And Then What Happens

When the Eggs Hatch?

The rr!lh.r alljgeto lrears tlre habier cr]ins airer lh.r

hatch. and she Lrenks oper the nen io lhel can gri oui.

TIc n,!Ur.r rlligel.r l:,irl.s ulr tlc lr:1l,its .s lliFI

.om. oui !l rhr nc,'l. ul Qrries lheni l! llri Nrle,.

The temperature makes the babies male or female

The se\ oi ordin:Lr:v alligat,ns is deternrired hl'
th tempeEture 0f the eggs in Lhe nesL selen to
21 days alter thet're lanl. ,{ll the babies l\ill be

lenales if it's E5' F. (:J0' C.) or helo1v. ]f it s

fl' F. (31' C.) or n!r"e. tle hahies n'ill he maLes.

-...
\.sls

ihat are .eai r.aler are c..ler.

ihis case, all

tle

ol allisal,r guard ..1 pr!1,p.1 rh.ir

:,,,
al|gat.r d,r Lhis LJ LurldrDs largc sts nr lle
I,rm.l . rall mou:rd ri veg!trrio.. Thse .rs.:
nor onl! !r.t..i iLe lajas l,Lr itilm lllem $irl thr
he[ generaicd hI derD[posit]on rnd s!l?r.n.rq,!
X'1.1 sldrlcs

....-

bahles are fer.ale

To the Parnt

EI What Is a Gavial?
6**

A gavial is a relative of the

alligator and the crocodile.
This reptile lives in India.
It looks different from an
alligator because it feeds
on different animals. An
alligator catches water
birds and slower-moving
animals in its strong jaws.
A gavial catches small,
fast-moving fish. Its narrow

A 6hort, broad alligator snout

snout helps it move

quicklv through the water.

^
16

S*allowing a fish.

Thc

saial

must lrold rhe lish

A long, thin garial snout

i.

irs s.oui

So

thai the fisn soes doin hcailtiNt

How a Gavial Catches a Fish

o
o
o

r lis| conrrs closc llr grrirl s$ilgs ils ri,in Jnout si(le(ers io .it.h lt l lrr
grlial l.llinrs i{.rll!n,s rhe l'ish headli.n s! re 1:rs liill rlt .at.h i. jrs thr.ar.

'llre Sarr.-l s s..nl is

1\:hc!

sihilar nr nreezers.

How gavials are born

The mother ga,,-ial digs a hole
tlc sand of a ler' hank a-r
e nest and laj,s ahour ,0 eggs.
SLe doesn t ahlal s stay u,Iere
she iaid the eggs hLlt lisits
sonrctimcs to src ho$ things
are goiDg. Finall) ihe I' rrg
hatch and burrow ouL lhrough
the sand. The babies look llke
adults cxcept that thel' are onl]'
abont 12 incLcs (ilo clr, long.

in

,{ gavial hatching. lt

breals tlre shell

.f

jts egg to

t(r

our.

o To the Parent

lds, r,hin srout ol the Indian qaial is idapt.d to

a dler oi llsn ln additnrn l! lndia! galials thert
are oder Jish eainrg relatiles ol ihe .ro.odil su.h
is ure llricar k,nglroscd.r..odll arli tle Malayan
sarial. -{ll }E!e lors rhn snouts {h,ch lrodde l.ss
rcsistance ro lrarer and can b. m.r&l abonl .rui.klt
The

What Are They Doing?

l$o

nale kangaroos are

fiehtine. Kanearoos
support themselves on

iheir tails ard kick at

iheir opponeni with their
leg-s. Some people think

this looks llke bo:ina.

Indian rhinoceroB
This lndjan rhinoceros is takins
a larh. These animals lore the
waier and will {allow nl a s!'amp
lbr houF with .in[ ttre horn and
ears showins al,ove the snlface.

1;::lq;*"'$ .

,.ltu'

/. :r,

'.

,{ spiny arrearer las rolled u1

into a ball. The spin) nliealer
nas hundreds of quills on its
L,ack

tlat

are like

lelr

shar!

needles. lr]ren it s rolled into

a lall like this, it's lerx hard
1or an enmt to tlr to atiack.

Tlese w]ld boars seem

to be llaying i. tle
mud. Bui aciuallj

gi rni ol ihe

A (art h.rg with an jtchJ rear end is scraiching

lisell on a rcck. Il iis back iiches the $,an h.,g
will roll oler and s(ratch itself against the rock.

I just can't

i: "_2

To the Parent

llle spirr anteater is a! extreneh prinilive nammal

ihai lives in Ausilalia. 1t is rerJ uusual be@Dse it
lal,s eggs. and $hen they tralcl it leeds the yonng on
nilk. Alrhoush it is orly a distant relative, ihe
hedgelos l.Dks sidilar and also ia quills lor Jur
Th places

lnere boa* bathe in tle ntrd are cdiled wallows.

Elwr,or. Tail Is This?

tkr

j".

i.'11;, t'o;ri tt'-t.'i

i i'-'r

A cheetah's

The tip oI a (heetalr's tail js $trite.

Because it's easj to see, the mother rlres
it to signal her Joung so tLe) $,(rn't sir-a]

w
A lion's

The lion's tail has a tult of hail on the

tip. The lion uses it to hrush arva"v
lrorseflies and other bothersone insects.

A tiger's

The tigel's tail has

stripes like those on
its body. The tail
lclps the tiger keep
iLS balance $.hen it
rLrns

alter prey and

makes quick tuln-r.

To the Parent

liou and tigem ale m.mb!.s ol th at familJ.

d.seir .lated, each anihal hs ! idl
that se.ve s dillrent function. Ihe tail has evolved in a
Cheetahs,

E1.en $ough thev ar

vay that slits thc speial n.cds of the animal's enirotroeni.

Which Top Goes Where?

sr,me thlllren 1rlarlns the hnt,rm halJ oI er,inral
tol) t)ar1 rhould erl{rh ot' them put onl Trr hellrine

tlc childr.r ii,rh.ri.,'

..1 i. rh

....-t.....ir..

3S
laabbit

E2

t., l,tlr,l lllf',n rh rilrr

Itlirdi

1:r,1 (!lL.l lr,!:L

Kangatoo

rl.

"iAhri

liinrin!r (jn,l .nii1l l.!.r

the Leltl

Elephant

ciraffe

,,rA(i'
q)

El.Fhanl (.hild !n the dght)

llirifle r3rd.lril.l ].oar lh! hli)

Which Markings Are Which?

The coat markiDgs numhered lrom I to {l are ali taken from the
six animals shown below. The],rnay seem to natch, but if ]ou look
closeL5, you rvill see that something is dilterent. See horv long
it \lill take you to find out which coat eoes with which animal.

@
\
)

Leopard

Tiger

1*

*Gh
,W

@@;

{ttt

't') o
r -? lit
o

rF;fqi*%b

fffi$f(
I

l)e!r l. JrAurr rj Ginlli r. lirr

r;

a,Le.trh rj.

L"ilr,

e##r

What's Wrong Here?

Here \re see pictures ol sr\'cral animels. If ],ou l,rok
closely l,ou ll see that there's something $Tong $ith
.ll of tirem alrr !. s..i r,hat's iirnnv about each r-'ne?

I{angaroo
Elephant

Tiger

Penguin

Godlla

The el.lhanfs trunk sh.ulil b. nu.h longer The

kangar..'s tail should curl DnlJ slighdr- and Le
much llnger. The panda's bla(k ard $Lile Jnarklngs
are reverseli.'11)e sirai&'s reck is r.. sn..r. The

.1r''

"Ldo"

heak is too big and ro. long. The Ln. sh.uld noi
have horN. TIe sorllla slr.uldf i ha!. a tail The

Rhinoceros

rhin,,..r." sh.rldni lra!. r h.rn her*ecn it: ear!

8r_

A Child's First Library of Learning

Wild Animals

TIME

Time-Life Books Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of

Librarr of

ffiu
p. cm.

Time-Life Books, Alexand a, Virginia

Childrcn's Publishins

Editarial Directot:
Promation Dircctar:
Editarial AansLhdnts:

lile cycles olsuch anihsls as giraffes,

leopad., skunls, elephant6, and alligatois. tncLudes .harts,
on th behavlor and

III

Neil Kagan
Kathleen Tresnak
Jacqueline A. Ball

diag.ans, and an activities section.

ISBN 0'8094-,18?7-r-. ISBN 0-8094-48?8-5 (lib. bdg.l

r AnimalFMiscellane.Juvenileiiteraiure. [r ADimalF

Miscellanea. 2 Questions ard answe^.1 L Tioe Lile

Intehational Editorial Seryices Inc.

Tokyo, Japan

Editar:

Edit.riol Assistants:

C. E. Berry

Edwin Causa

i989

Books

591 nc20
89-454r
!1989 Time-Life Books lnc.
!1983 Gakken Co Ltd
All righl,6 reserved. No pan ofihis hook nay be reproducd in
any lorm or by any electroli. or mecha,ical means, including
inlormation st raE and rct.ieyal devices or sJsleb6, Nilhoui
p.ior writien pernjssion fron rhe publisher, excepi that brief
passages mal be quoled for leview.

QL,19.Wi38

Editodal Supewision by:

(A Chlld's first library ofleaming)

ansEers p.oride inlormation

Sumary: questions ad

R bert H. Smith
R. S. Wotkyns

Cotrgress Cat.loging in Publi.alion Dala

Third printing 1992. Prinied in U.S.A.

Publish.d sihul!aneously in Canads.
TINIE-LIFE is s r.adma.k of lime Wamer Inc.

t@' oao
@

t6

L-

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