Aestivation is a period of deep and prolonged sleep, or torpor, that occurs in the summer or dry season in response to heat and drought. Food can often be scarce at such times, so animals avoid using up hard won energy reserves by lowering their metabolic rate. This reduces the need for food and water during hard times, ensuring longer-term survivalAestivation
Source: BBC
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Long-eared hedgehogs are much faster than their longer spined West European cousins. They are also much more feisty. Their long ears give them an acute sense of hearing which helps them to detect both predators and prey.Long-eared hedgehog
Source: BBC
Predation defence comes in many forms: physiological, anatomical and behavioural. Physical defences such as spines and armour are obvious adaptations, but other defences can be more subtle and surprising. Whether it’s avoiding detection through camouflage and mimicry, chemical defence through being poisonous or exuding irritants, it’s all about one thing: avoiding being eaten. Some animals rely on increasing their chances of detecting predators by living in groups and using alarm calls to warn each other of danger.Predation defence
Source: BBC
Flying fish actually glide rather than truly fly. They launch themselves into the air by beating the tail very fast and spreading their pectoral fins to use as wings. There are 52 different species of flying fish which are found in the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.Flying fish
Source: BBC
Ray-finned fishes are a very diverse class, about half of all vertebrates being ray-fins. They get their name from the form of their fins - bony struts with a web of skin covering them. Familiar fish such as the goldfish, cod and seahorse are all members of this class.Ray-finned fishes
Source: BBC
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Frogs and toads are the most diverse and widespread of the three amphibian orders. Unlike the other amphibians, adult frogs and toads have no tails but they do have many adaptations to jumping, for example long hind legs, elongated ankle bones and a short vertebral column. Many frogs contain mild toxins, but some, such as the poison dart frogs, are deadly.Frogs and toads
Source: BBC
Amphibians include frogs, salamanders and caecilians. A typical amphibian has a larval stage spent in water during which it breathes through gills, and an adult stage that is less tied to water when they rely on lungs. However, there are some species that skip the tadpole stage and others that keep their gills throughout their life.
Source: BBC
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Jellyfish Lake, based on the Pacific island of Palau, was once connected to the Pacific Ocean. But when the sea level dropped, jellyfish became isolated in the algae rich lake and eventually lost their sting. (Caters New Agency)
Source: digg.com
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A white rhino calf romps with a juvenile in a game park holding pen in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal Province.
Source: National Geographic
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