Almost every plant and animal in the world has enemies that threaten its existence. So to protect itself every living being has developed some defence mechanism. Sensing the danger some organisms hide, others run, while others just fly away.
Some organisms can even hide without moving. They use ‘camouflage colouring’. That means that their skin colour blends in with the matching colour of the surrounding area so well that the enemies cannot see them. Chameleon has the capacity of changing its body colours. If it is on a green leaf, it turns green; if on a brown twig, it turns brown. Some rabbits change colour with the season. The snowshoe hare is brown in summer and white in winter. The white fur camouflages the rabbit in the snow. Another phenomenon called counter-shading is a common type of camouflage among the fishes. The underside of their body is of lighter shade than the top. This helps the fish to blend in with many shadows it might make. Some other animals have a remarkable ability to take the form and colour of some other object around them. Camouflage also helps some animals catch their food. Since they can blend in with their surroundings, their victims can’t spot them immediately, and thus get caught.
Then there are other animals such as antelope who can run very fast. Others may dodge back and forth, like a rabbit. Birds can escape most predators by flying away.
Certain animals have developed physical attributes to fight for survival. Many mammals have sharp claws and teeth to protect themselves against enemies. Snakes bite, bees’ sting, and skunks squirt an unpleasant smelling liquid. Still some other has such bodies that discourage an enemy from attacking. The quills of a porcupine would injure its enemy.
The puffer fish can swell up like a balloon when it is attacked. This makes it difficult for another fish to swallow it. Many non-poisonous snakes have colours similar to poisonous snakes. Enemies think that the snake is poisonous and thus refrain from attacking. This type of defence mechanism is called mimicry. Some poisonous snakes have a very bright colour to warn off enemies that it is nearby. This is called ‘warning colouration’.
Even the plants have defence mechanisms. The cactus has a long spine which pricks animals that try to eat it. Many vines have thorns to keep animals away. Some plants are poisonous and will make an animal sick if it eats or touches the plant.