Category Zoology

The Siberian tiger can reach a record-breaking 3.3 m long — that’s about six times longer than a pet cat. This tiger is very rare and lives in the mountains of northern China and Russia. Its long, off-white, striped fur keeps it warm and hidden in the snow.

How big is a tiger’s paw?

Huge – almost as big as a grown-up’s head! Even a gentle swipe of its paw would easily knock you off your feet.

Is it true? Tigers don’t attack a victim which looks them in the eye.

Yes. Tigers usually attack from behind. In Southeast Asia, people sometimes wear masks that act as fake faces, on the backs of their heads.

Amazing! The cub of a male tiger and a female lion is called a tigon. Lions and tigers are so closely related that they have been bred together in zoos. Ligers are the cubs of a female tiger and a male lion.

How many tigers are there?

There are five main types of tiger – the Siberian, South Chinese, Sumatran, Indochinese and Indian. The number of tigers has fallen faster than for any other cat. There are fewer than 5,000 in the world today.

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Over short distances, the cheetah tops 100 kilometres per hour, and no animal can beat that. Cheetahs reach such high speeds partly because their dog-like claws work like running shoes and give them a good grip. But the speed king soon runs out of puff. If an impala keeps ahead for more than 500 metres, its life is saved — at least this time!

Amazing! The average cheetah hunt is over in seconds! A cheetah may spend hours lazing about lying in wait, but it normally runs down its prey within 300 metres. It takes the cat less than 20 seconds to catch its meal!

How does the cheetah kill its prey?

The cheetah lives on the African grasslands. It usually chases animals such as antelopes, gazelles, or even ostriches. When it catches up with its fast-running prey, it fells and kills it by clamping its strong jaws on to its neck.

Is it true? Cheetahs are spotted all over.

No. The cheetah is mostly spotted, but its tail is striped. And the king cheetah, which is extremely rare, has stripes on its back where the spots have joined up.

Where do cheetah cubs live?

Cheetah mothers don’t have a permanent den. Instead, they move their cubs around a couple of times each week. This stops other big cats finding and preying on them.

They are all mammals. This means that they are covered with cosy fur and feed their young with mother’s milk. Cats, dogs and bears are also all carnivores, which mean they eat meat. To do this, they have special sharp, pointy teeth, called canines.

Is it true? Cats, dogs and bears are the only carnivores in the world.

No. Many other mammals, such as hyenas, weasels, raccoons and humans eat meat. So do other animals – birds of prey, some reptiles and sharks in the sea.

Amazing! There were mammals around at the same time as the dinosaurs. Just like dinosaurs, some were carnivorous (meat-eating), such as Zalambdalestes, and some were herbivores (vegetarians).

What is a Tasmanian devil?

The Tasmanian devil lives in Tasmania, an island south of mainland Australia, and belongs to the same mammal family as kangaroos, carrying its babies in a pouch on its tummy. It’s small, ferocious, and can defend itself well against other predators.

Are hyenas dogs?

No, though they look quite similar. Hyenas hunt in packs like dogs, but they have four toes per foot, whereas dogs have five on their front paws. Hyenas are not cats either, but are closely related.

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Sharks have often attacked people who have survived shipwrecks or plane crashes far out at sea. Inflatable bags have been tested, which sharks tend to avoid. They can’t detect moving limbs, electrical signals or blood inside them. Beaches can be protected by nets.

Is it true? Nothing attacks a shark.

No. Sharks will attack each other. They are also attacked by whales, and even dolphins who will group together to protect their young. But the biggest threat of all comes from people.

Amazing! In Australia in the 1930s, hundreds of sharks were caught in nets in just a few months. The numbers of many large sharks have gone down sharply all over the world because of hunting.

Who swims inside a cage?

Scientists studying dangerous sharks, such as the ocean white-tip and bull shark, often protect themselves inside a cage. The shark can bang the cage as much as it likes, but the diver is safe inside.

Why do sharks attack?

When a shark attacks, it is often because it mistakes a swimmer or surfer for a seal or other prey. About 100 shark attacks are recorded on people each year. Many of the victims survive.

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Manta rays are also known as devilfish, even though they are harmless and feed on plankton. They are the largest of all rays, at seven metres across. They flap their huge fins like wings, which makes them look as if they’re flying slowly and gracefully through the water.

Is it true? A sawfish has ‘teeth’ on its snout.

Yes. Sawfish and saw sharks have long sharp snouts studded with teeth, like a saw. They use their snouts to dig in the mud for food and to slash at other fish. The six types of sawfish belong to the same group as rays.

Which fish can shock?

The electric ray has special electric organs just behind its head. It gives off bursts of electricity to defend itself or to stun the fish it feeds on.

Amazing! Rays and skates may look very different from sharks, but they are closely related. They all have gill slits instead of gill covers and skeletons made of rubbery cartilage.

What has a sting on its tail?

Stingrays have poisonous spines on their whip-like tails. Some have one poisonous spine, others have several. They lie on the seabed with only their eyes and tail showing.

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People kill millions of sharks every year, some to protect swimmers, others for food or just for sport. If too many are killed, sharks might disappear altogether.

How can we learn more about sharks?

These days, people are more keen to learn about sharks. You can visit an aquarium to watch and find out more about these fascinating fish.

Amazing! Scientists can now tell a lot from some sharks’ behaviour. By studying a creature’s movements and senses, they know when a shark is just being nosy, or when it’s about to attack. By learning more, we may kill fewer sharks, and suffer fewer shark attacks.

Which scientists dress like knights of old?

Scientists studying sharks sometimes wear chain-mail suits for protection. They may tag a shark’s fins to learn how quickly and far it can travel.

Is it true? We’ve discovered all the sharks that exist.

No. Megamouth was first seen in 1976. Scientists think that there might be more sharks waiting to be discovered in the depths of the oceans.