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◀ VENOM
AND CLAWS
Many animals have
venomous bites or stings
that they can use to kill
their prey and to defend
themselves. A scorpion
normally uses its claws to
hunt, and the sting on the
end of its tail for defence.CONSTRICTOR ▼
A python coils around its prey,
squeezing a little tighter every
time the victim breathes out,
until eventually it cannot
breathe at all. A snake’s
lower jaws are loosely
linked to its skull, so
it can swallow its
prey whole.◀ TEAMWORK
Lions are equipped
with dagger-like teeth
and long claws, but
their main weapon
is teamwork. They
encircle their prey
so there is no escape.Many animals are hunters that prey on other animals. Catching and
killing fast-moving prey is hard, so over time hunters have evolved
features and tactics to make the job easier. This has made survival
harder for the animals that they hunt, so many have evolved defences
that make them difficult, or even dangerous, to catch.Attack and defence
◀ NIGHT HUNTER
Insect-eating bats target their
prey using pulses of high-pitched
sound. The sounds bounce off the
victim, creating a sound image that
enables a bat to hunt flying insects
in total darkness.DRIFTING TRAP
▶The long tentacles of the
box jellyfish are armed with
thousands of tiny stinging cells.
The animal simply drifts with the
currents and devours any creature
that is unlucky enough to come
into contact with its tentacles.▲AMBUSH
The praying mantis lurks motionless
on a plant, waiting for another insect
to come within range. Then it shoots
out its spiny front limbs to catch its
victim, and eats it alive.038_039_Hunting.indd 38 03/01/19 12:09 PM