Beginner's Pages - 2 (Science Reading)

Survival in the Wild Plants and animals have the hard job of surviving in a very wild world. How do they do it? There are many ways plants and animals have adapted in order to survive. Camouflage is one way animals adapt to survive. For some animals, this means that their fur, scales, or skin are a similar color to the land around them. Deer, for example, have brown fur that blends in with the trees, so it's harder for predators to see them. This saves them from becoming prey to a larger animal. Some animals can actually change colors to match their environment. Many people think of chameleons when they think of this type of camouflage, but rabbits are a great example as well. Some rabbits' fur will change colors depending on the season. Their fur might be brown in the spring, summer, and fall to match the trees, but the brown fur will fall out and white fur will grow in the winter to blend in with the snow. This way the rabbit is safer from predators year-round. Some insects, instead of blending in with their environment, look like something else that will deter animals from eating them. A walking stick looks just like a stick so that predators will pass it by without noticing it. Katydids mimic leaves.. Some moths and butterflies have designs on their wings that make them look like snakes or owls, to scare away their predators.

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙨 are a diverse and fascinating part of our world. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, have unique behaviors, and live in a variety of environments. One interesting fact about animals is that they often play an important role in the food chain. As primary, secondary, or tertiary consumers, animals find food from other sources, such as plants or other animals. Humans have been studying animal behavior for centuries. We use this knowledge to understand their habits and habitats better as well as to help protect them when necessary. While many species of animals face extinction due to human activities like hunting, habitat destruction, or pollution, efforts are being made to protect these species and even restore their populations. Some animals have amazing adaptations that help them survive in their environment. For example, the arctic fox has a thick coat of fur to keep it warm in cold climates, while the koala has highly developed fingerprints used for climbing trees. Other animals, like the chameleon, have color- changing abilities to blend into their surroundings and hide from predators. Animals also play an important role in our world by providing vital resources such as food, medicine, clothing, tools, and fertilizers. They can also help us maintain healthy ecosystems by controlling pests or spreading pollens and seeds needed for vegetation growth. Animals are an essential part of our world. While some species may be in danger or even extinct due to human activities, there is still much that can be done to help them survive and thrive. By understanding the important roles they play in their environment and by respecting their habitats, we can ensure that these amazing creatures remain with us for years to come.

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙁𝙖𝙡𝙡 In the fall, many animals undergo remarkable changes in their behavior as they prepare for the winter season. Some birds, like geese and monarch butterflies, embark on long journeys known as migration. They fly to warmer regions where food is more abundant, and they won't have to battle the cold. This incredible instinctual behavior ensures their survival through the frigid winter months. On the other hand, animals like bears and chipmunks choose to hibernate. Hibernation is a deep, sleep-like state that allows these animals to conserve energy and stay warm in their burrows or dens throughout the winter. They often gather extra food in the fall and spend the entire winter snoozing until the spring. Meanwhile, some animals, like squirrels, engage in frantic activity in the fall, gathering and storing food to sustain them during the winter. Their diligent preparation helps them endure the season when food is scarce. The behaviors of animals in the fall showcase nature's incredible adaptability and the strategies creatures employ to thrive in changing environments.

𝙃𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙨 🐎🐎 Horses are beautiful creatures, They can be different colors, and can run quickly. People like to watch horses because they are strong and powerful. Horses are mammals, Mammals are animals that have hair or fur, are warm-blooded, and usually give birth to live young. The mother horse generally has one baby in the spring, and feeds the baby milk. Horses have long legs, and big eyes that can see almost all the way around them. They can walk, frot, gallop, and jump. Young horses that are one year old or younger are called foals. A young female horse is called a filly, and a young male horse is called a colt. After 4 years, a horse is considered an adult. Many people think that a pony is a young horse, but that is incorrect. A pony is a type of horse that does not grow very large. Horses can live up to 20 or 25 years. Sometimes people can tell how old a horse is by looking at its teeth! They generally sleep standing up, so that if a predator approaches, they can run away quickly, Horses only need about three hours of sleep per day! Their hooves need to be taken care of. Horse hooves are like our fingernails, which need to be trimmed. If a horse is doing a lot of walking on hard ground, people put horseshoes on them, then take off the horseshoes when the hooves need trimming. New horseshoes are then put on. For food, horses eat foods such as grass, hay, oats, corn, apples, and carrots. They are herbivores, meaning they do not eat other animals. Their stomachs are small, so they need small, frequent feedings.

𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙀𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝'𝙨 𝙎𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙨 𓅇 Crows are some of the smartest animals on Earth. They are known for their intelligence, problem-solving skills, and tool-making abilities. Crows are often seen in urban areas, scavenging for food or playing games with other crows. Crows are extremely social animals, and they can recognize individual crows and remember them for years. Crows are amazing problem solvers. They have been known to use tools to get food. For example, some crows have been seen using sticks to get grubs out of logs. They have also been seen dropping nuts on the ground and then using cars to crack them open. Crows have great memories. They can recognize individual humans and remember them for years. They can also remember where they found food and will often return to the same spot multiple times. Crows are also very smart when it comes to communication. They can recognize different calls and can even imitate other birds' calls. They also have different calls for different situations, such as warning calls, alarm calls, and even calls to attract a mate. Crows are also very clever when it comes to avoiding danger. They can recognize predators from a distance and will often give alarm calls to alert other crows. They will also use distraction techniques to draw attention away from themselves and their nest. Crows are truly remarkable birds. They demonstrate amazing problem-solving skills, use tools to get food, recognize individual humans, and have a great memory. It is no wonder why crows are often regarded as one of the smartest animals on Earth.

𝙀𝙇𝙀𝙋𝙃𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙎 Do you know which animal is considered the national animal of Thailand? Well, it is the all-mighty ‘elephant’. Elephants are considered to be the world’s largest terrestrial mammals, commonly found in the deep forests of Asia and Africa. They are therefore classified as Asian elephants (commonly known as the Indian elephant) and African elephants. Asian elephants are comparatively smaller in size than African elephants. Elephants are among the smartest and most social animals on the planet. They never leave their herds, and if one of them goes missing, they make every attempt to locate it. Elephants are herbivorous animals; they eat leaves, twigs, fruits and vegetables. If you look into the number of elephants found all around the world, you will see a rapid decrease. While the numbers of African elephants are mostly unaffected, the number of Asian elephants is coming down day by day. In order to protect endangered species, various laws have been passed regarding the possession and rearing of elephants for various purposes. There were places where people domesticated elephants and reared them as pets. This, however, is not accepted anymore. Elephants, from the very beginning, have been helpful in transporting heavy goods and people from one place to another, which is also not encouraged or allowed anymore. It is each and every individual’s responsibility to make sure that these animals get to live their lives in their natural habitats and not how human beings decide. 🐘 Facts 1. THEY'RE THE WORLD'S LARGEST LAND ANIMAL The African Savanna (Bush) elephant is the world's largest land animal - with adult males, or bull elephants, standing up to 3m high and weighing up to 6,000kg on average. Males only reach their full size at 35-40 years - that's well over half their lifespan as wild elephants can live for up to 60-70 years. And it's not just the adults - even calves are huge! At birth, a baby elephant can weigh 120kg - that's almost 19 stone. 2. YOU CAN TELL THE THREE SPECIES APART BY THEIR EARS There are three species of elephant: African Savanna (Bush), African Forest and Asian. The ears of African elephants are much larger than their cousins and are described as being shaped like the African continent, whereas the ears of Asian elephants are shaped like the Indian subcontinent. There's also a trunk difference - African elephants have two 'fingers' at the tip of their trunks, whereas Asian elephants have one. 3. THEIR TRUNKS HAVE MAD SKILLS Elephants have around 150,000 muscle units in their trunk. Their trunks are perhaps the most sensitive organ found in any mammal. Elephants use their trunks to suck up water to drink - it can contain up to 8 litres of water. They also use their trunks as a snorkel when swimming. 4. THEIR TUSKS ARE ACTUALLY TEETH Elephant tusks are actually enlarged incisor teeth which first appear when elephants are around 2 years old. Tusks continue growing throughout their lives. Tusks are used to help with feeding - prising bark off trees or digging up roots - or as a defense when fighting. But these beautiful tusks often cause elephants danger. They're made from ivory; a much desired object. Read on to find out why elephants are under threat. 5. THEY'VE GOT THICK SKIN An elephant's skin is 2.5cm thick in most places. The folds and wrinkles in their skin can retain up to 10 times more water than flat skin does, which helps to cool them down. They keep their skin clean and protect themselves from sunburn by taking regular dust and mud baths. 6. ELEPHANTS ARE CONSTANTLY EATING Elephants eat grasses, leaves, shrubs, fruits and roots depending on the season and their habitat. When it's particularly dry, elephants will eat more woody parts of trees and shrubs like twigs, branches and barks. They need to eat up to 150kg of food per day - that's around 375 tins of baked beans - although half of this may leave the body undigested. Elephants eat so much that they can spend up to three-quarters of their day just eating. 7. THEY COMMUNICATE THROUGH VIBRATIONS Elephants communicate in a variety of ways including sounds like trumpet calls (some sounds are too low for people to hear), body language, touch and scent. They can also communicate through seismic signals - sounds that create vibrations in the ground - which they may detect through their bones. 8. A BABY ELEPHANT CAN STAND WITHIN 20 MINUTES OF BIRTH Amazingly, elephant calves are able to stand within 20 minutes of being born and can walk within 1 hour. After two days, they can keep up with the herd. This incredible survival technique means that herds of elephants can keep migrating to find food and water to thrive. 9. AN ELEPHANT NEVER FORGETS The elephant's temporal lobe (the area of the brain associated with memory) is larger and denser than that of people - hence the saying 'elephants never forget. 10. AROUND 90% OF AFRICAN ELEPHANTS HAVE BEEN WIPED OUT IN THE PAST CENTURY Around 90% of African elephants have been wiped out in the past century - largely due to the ivory trade - leaving an estimated 415,000 wild elephants alive today. Asian elephants are also under threat, having declined by at least 50% in the last three generations. There are only around 48,000-52,000 individuals left in the wild. As their habitat changes, fragments and is lost to human settlements and agriculture, populations of Asian elephants are finding it harder to follow their traditional migration routes to reach water, feeding and breeding grounds, and they're coming into often dangerous contact with people.