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All animals get the nutrients they need by
eating plants, animals, or other organisms
such as bacteria or fungi. Some of these foods
are easy to find but hard to digest, like leaves
and grass. Others, such as animal prey, can be
difficult to find or catch, but are easy to digest
and rich in food value. Animals have developed
a variety of adaptations for gathering and
digesting their food. Some of these are much
more specialized than others, and govern
the animal’s whole way of life.Feeding
(^1) BASKING SHARK
The enormous basking shark has
tiny teeth. It feeds by swimming
through swarms of tiny drifting
organisms with its mouth gaping
open, and trapping them in its
sieve-like gills. Many whales filter
feed in a similar way, as do some
birds, such as flamingos.
Gills in long slots
at the back of the
shark’s mouth
trap floating food
(^2) GIRAFFE
A giraffe’s extra-long neck allows
it to eat leaves that other animals
cannot reach. Like many leaf-eaters
and grass-eaters, giraffes have
bacteria in their digestive system,
which break down the tough
plant fibre to release
vital nutrients.
(^3) LEECH
A parasitic leech clings to a living
animal, slices into its skin, and
sucks its blood. Some leeches
may take up to five times their
own weight in blood, but only
need to feed once or twice a year.
(^4) PARROT
Birds need concentrated food that
does not weigh them down, so
most birds feed on insects, meat,
fruit, or seeds. Many parrots eat
nuts, cracking the strong shells with
their powerful hooked bills, but
some have brush-tipped tongues
to lap up sugary flower nectar.
(^5) LION
Catching large live animals can
be difficult and dangerous. A lion
relies on its strength and long,
sharp canine teeth to kill its prey.
It slices the meat into mouthfuls
with scissor-like cheek teeth, but
swallows it without chewing
because meat is easy to digest.
Parrots often use their feet
to grip nuts while they crack
into them with their bills
Sucker surrounds
the mouth and
sharp teeth
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