Reproduction Of Animals

Reproduction is one of the most characteristic features of living organisms. Life would not exist on Earth if plants and animals did not reproduce to make their offspring. By reproducing, a living organism can be sure that there is another individual of its kind to take its place when it dies. In this way a species of organism guarantees its survival.

All animals produce offspring so their species can continue. Some animals reproduce sexually, by mating with a partner; other reproduce asexually, without mating. Animals grow up in different ways, including by metamorphosis. Care of offspring varies -- some young fend for themselves.









A sea anemone divides to form two individuals. Some insects, such as aphids, can also reproduce asexually, when their unfertilized eggs develop into young.




Animals can be grouped into those which give birth to living offspring and those which lay eggs that eventually hatch into offspring. Those animals which give birth to live offspring are called live-bearing or viviparous. Those animals which lay eggs are called egg-laying or oviparous. The difference is in the place where the offspring develops before it is born.

Metamorphosis
Some baby animals are miniature copies of their adult relatives, but some look nothing like their parents. They go through an amazing transformation, known as a metamorphosis, before they reach adulthood.

Complete metamorphosis is the change in one step from larva to adult. Moths and butterflies undergo complete metamorphosis. Their caterpillars feed and grow, then enter a resing stage as pupae. Inside the pupal case, the caterpillar transforms into a winged adult. The way tadpoles become frogs is also complete metamorphosis.


How do animals attract mates?
During the breeding season, animals advertise their readiness to mate by using special calls, scents, and other signals. Some animals use elaborate displays or courtship rituals to woo a wary mate. A few creatures, such as earthworms, are hermaphrodite (both male and female), which makes it easier to find a mate.

Why do some animals give birth rather than lay eggs?
Animals born live are more likely to survive than those that hatch out of eggs. While developing inside their mother, babies are at less risk of being eaten than eggs.

Why look after young?
Animals care for offspring to improve their chances of survival. More of these babies survive to adulthood than those whose parents leave them to fend for themselves.

Links
Insects
Circle of Life
Life Cycle of butterfly
Life Cycle of Bee
Ladybirds
Life Cycle of Ants

Animals Senses

Insect-eating bats have very sensitive hearing that allows them to hunt and navigate in darkness using echolocation. They make high-pitched sounds then swivel their ears to pinpoint the source of echoes, which lead them to their prey.

Animals use their sense to find out about the world around them. Most have the same five senses as humans but some have extra senses, such as echolocation. Some animals have developed amazing adaptations to their environments. Many different types of energy exist in the environment, some of which humans cannot detect.

Here are some examples of how some animals sense the outside world and the anatomical structures that allow them to do so.

1. Ecolocation
Bats, whales and dolphins, which hunt in darkness or murky water, make sounds then listen for echoes to track their prey. They use ecolocation to navigate their surroundings. The same technique helps them to navigate and avoid collisions with objects. Each of these animals emits high-frequency sound pulses and, in turn, detects the echoes produced by those sounds. Special ear and brain adaptations enable them to build a three-dimensional picture of their surroundings, much like radar. Bats, for example, have enlarged ear flaps that gather and direct sound towards thin, supersensitive eardrums.

How does echolocation help with hunting?
Hunting bats and dolphins make streams of clicking sounds, which spread out through the air or water. The sound vibrations bounce back off objects such as flying insects or shoaling fish. The hunter uses its keen hearing to listen out for the returning echoes. These allow it to pinpoint the whereabouts of its victims, so that it can home in on its prey.


2. Infrared Vision
Some animals can see quite clearly at night even when there is no moon. The large eyes of nocturnal hunters, such as owls, are designed to make the most of very dim light. Many animals active at night also have extremely good senses of hearing and smell.

The most interesting feature of nocturnal animals is the size of their eyes. Large eyes, with a wider pupil, larger lens and increased retinal surface collect more light. Some animal species have evolved tubular eyes as a means of increasing their size. Many nocturnal animals cannot move their eyes within the orbit. Instead, they have evolved extraordinary rotational ability in the neck. Owls, for example, can rotate their neck through 270° & this aids their vision.

Some animals of the night have acquired a spherical lens and widened cornea to compensate for reduced eye movement. This combined with a wide cornea increases the animals field of view allowing the head and eyes to remain motionless.

Rattlesnakes and other pit vipers use their eyes to see during the day. But at night they use infrared sensory organs to detect and hunt warm-blooded prey. These infrared "eyes" are cuplike structures that form crude images as infrared radiation hits a heat sensitive retina.

3. Electric Sense
Electric fields are used in numerous ways by animals. Some aquatic animals, including sharks, can pick up tiny electrical signals given off by their prey. Electric eels and some rays have modified muscle cells that produce an electric charge strong enough to shock and sometimes kill their prey. Other fish use weaker electric fields to navigate murky waters or to monitor their surroundings. For instance, bony fish and some frogs have a lateral line, a row of sensory pores in the skin, that enables them to detect electrical current in water.

4. Magnetic Sense
Together, the flow of molten material in the earth's core and the flow of ions in the atmosphere generate a magnetic field that surrounds the earth. Amazingly, a number of animals are able to sense this magnetic field. It is believed that many migratory animals can detect the Earth's magnetic field to help find their way. Just as a compass helps us navigate by detecting magnetic north, animals who possess magnetic sense are able to identify direction and navigate long distances. Behavioral studies have revealed that many animals including honey bees, sharks, sea turtles, rays, homing pigeons, migratory birds, tuna, and salmon all have magnetic sense.


Can Animals Sense Natural Disasters?
Animals have keen senses that help them avoid predators or locate prey. It is thought that these senses might also help them detect pending disasters. Several countries have conducted research on the detection of earthquakes by animals. There are two theories as to how animals may be able to detect earthquakes. One theory is that animals sense the earth's vibrations. Another is that they can detect changes in the air or gases released by the earth. There has been no conclusive evidence as to how animals may be able to sense earthquakes. Some researchers believe the animals at Yala National Park were able to detect the earthquake and move to higher ground before the tsunami hit, causing massive waves and flooding.

Other researchers are skeptical about using animals as earthquake and natural disaster detectors. They site the difficulty of developing a controlled study that can connect a specific animal behavior with an earthquake occurrence. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) officially states: *Changes in animal behavior cannot be used to predict earthquakes. Even though there have been documented cases of unusual animal behavior prior to earthquakes, a reproducible connection between a specific behavior and the occurrence of an earthquake has not been made. Because of their finely tuned senses, animals can often feel the earthquake at its earliest stages before the humans around it can. This feeds the myth that the animal knew the earthquake was coming. But animals also change their behavior for many reasons, and given that an earthquake can shake millions of people, it is likely that a few of their pets will, by chance, be acting strangely before an earthquake.

Although scientists disagree as to whether animal behavior can be used to predict earthquakes and natural disasters, they all agree that it is possible for animals to sense changes in the environment before humans. Researchers around the world are continuing to study animal behavior and earthquakes. It is hoped that these studies will help to aid earthquake predictions.

Do animals have better senses than us?
Many animals have far keener senses than humans. Sight is our most important sense, but birds such as falcons have much sharper vision. Some insects can detect ultraviolet light, which we cannot see. A bloodhound's nose is many times more sensitive than a human's. Bats, whales and elephants can detect very high or low sounds that we cannot hear.

Amazing Animal Sense

Greyhounds Dogs Lovers

The Greyhound, which was mentioned in the Old Testament ( Proverbs 30:29-31), is a breed that is known to be originated from Egypt and it is one of the oldest breeds of dogs. There were known to be drawings of dogs resembling greyhounds in vases and tombs dated from the Ancient Egypt 8000 years ago.

Greyhounds have dark eyes and a long, graceful tail. They are large with long legs and powerfully built with narrow bodies. Unlike many other breeds, a Greyhound is not necessary grey. They can be of any colour. Having a quiet and affectionate personality, the Greyhound is loved by both children and adults. They are favoured by most pets lovers all over the world for their friendliness and for the fact that they do not need much exercise. They have special ability to run fast and they were where they were used to run down prey in ancient Egypt.

The Greyhounds have life span of 10 to 15 years. They have short, smooth and velvety coat. For such reasons, they may be easy to groom and handle, but as with other dog breeds, there are numerous Greyhounds that are abandoned by their most trusted pet owners every now and then. Greyhounds are sociable dogs. When kept as pets, all dogs regards their pet owners and the family members as their family. They love to spend time with their family and they can be very playful. However, for some reasons or another, there are many pet owners who abandon their pets, Greyhounds being one such breeds among the many others.

Not all pets that are abandoned are bad -- diseased, bad-tempered, shed too much hair etc. I have seen friends and relatives who have their pets dogs adopted and they are just as wonderful as 'new' dogs. Some of them are as young as one year, and some may be as old as five or even more. Recently my niece has found a schnauzer on the road! It is a good pet -- toilet trained, friendly and so amiable. For people who do not wish to go through the hassle of looking after puppies, adopting a pet is a good choice. In addition, buying a new pet can be very costly. Adoption is so much cheaper than buying a new puppy. Owning one of these dogs can be overwhelming at first. However, with persevere, love, commitment, patience and care, you can end up with a wonderful, devoted family pet for many years to come.

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