Chapter 1
The ultimate survival cheat codes
Chapter 2
Senses that sound like science fiction
Chapter 3
Outrageous defense mechanisms
Chapter 4
Unconventional family dynamics
Ch 3 · Outrageous defense mechanisms
schopenhauer Outrageous Animal Defenses
Squirt from the eyes! Squirt from the eyes! A bitter splash is your surprise!
schopenhauer The bombardier beetle mixes internal chemicals to blast predators with a boiling, noxious spray reaching 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fun Fact
Hagfish slime expansion: A single hagfish can produce enough thick, suffocating slime to fill a two-gallon bucket in seconds.
schopenhauer To scare off canine predators, the coast horned lizard can squirt foul-tasting blood from its eyes up to five feet.
Glossary
autotomy (noun)
The automatic shedding of a body part, such as a tail or limb, by an animal under threat. Many lizards discard their tails to distract predators, creating a crucial window to escape.
The automatic shedding of a body part, such as a tail or limb, by an animal under threat. Many lizards discard their tails to distract predators, creating a crucial window to escape.
Quiz
Which predator is the horned lizard's blood-squirting trick specifically designed to repel?
BETA
schopenhauer Launch wacky animal defenses to discover how wild creatures ward off predators.
Quiz
From which part of its body does the horned lizard squirt foul-tasting blood to scare off predators?
Quiz
What temperature does the chemical spray of a bombardier beetle reach when launched at an enemy?
Quiz
Which two chemicals does the bombardier beetle mix inside its body to create an explosive reaction?