Attack and Defend
For a wild animal, surviving each
day can be hard. Carnivores use speed, strength, and intelligence to
catch a meal. Prey species often have to think fast to protect
themselves.
Making a Getaway
What would you do if you were being chased by a predator?
Probably the same thing most wild animals do: run and hide.
Prairie dogs dive into their burrows. Squirrels head for safety
in trees. The House Mouse rushes for cover—like behind your
refrigerator!
Kickoff Time!
Male Elk and Moose have huge antlers but do not often use them
as weapons. Instead, they use their razor-sharp hooves.
Predators like Mountain Lions or wolves are close to the ground
and easy to kick.
Blending In
Some mammals have coloring that helps them blend in with their
environment. This is called camouflage. The Snowshoe Hare is
brown in the summer, white in the winter, and brown and white in
the spring when the ground is patched with snow.
Predators in Action
The Mountain Lion is a superb hunter. It can leap more than 20 feet in a
single bound and run faster than a deer for short distances. Mountain
Lions creep up close to their prey and then leap onto the victim’s back,
holding it long enough to deliver a bite on the neck.
What
a Stink!
When threatened, skunks launch a stream of rancid eye-burning
musk. Most of the time a skunk does not even need to use its
weaponry. It simply stomps its feet—the signal that it is ready
to spray—and the enemy runs away.
A
Sharp Defense
The slow, clumsy porcupine is protected by thousands of quills
on its tail and back. The quills are extremely sharp and
painful—and can even kill.
