Page 78 - World of Animals - Issue #31

A to Z A to Z
V A venue of vultures WW

The term venue refers to vultures when they are
sitting in trees. If the same vultures were in flight, it
would be a kettle of vultures, whereas if the group
were all feeding from a carcass, they would then be
known as a wake of vultures.
A wisdom of wombats
of wombats
Wombats aren’t always thought biggest brains of all the marsupials.
of as the most intelligent creatures They love to play, which is also a
and are rarely associated with sign of intelligence, and will head-
wisdom; however they have been butt each other or even bite and
seen to avoid traps and have the run to provoke a chase.
A waddle of penguins

A watch of nightingales

A whiteness of swans
Some species form vast social Y A yoke of oxen

Roaming the Arctic tundra certainly has its risks and
Teamwork makes the dream work to stay safe from predators such as Arctic wolves and
polar bears, musk oxen adopt a safety in numbers
Vultures are well known for their animals safely and efficiently tactic. When faced with a predator, they ‘circle the

diet of carrion, usually waiting before they turn putrid and run wagons’, meaning they form a circle, keeping the
until larger animals are killed, the risk of spreading disease. young in the middle and facing outwards. Predators
or sometimes using teamwork are faced with an off-putting ring of sharp horns.
to attack the weak and sick. networks to forage together and
Although this doesn’t sound too lead each other to food. The
appealing, they are actually of location and timing of a vulture’s
great use to their ecosystems. next meal can be unpredictable,
Vultures act as nature’s bin men, so helping each other out is
thanklessly disposing of dead essential to their survival.
X An

exaltation
of larks

Some species of lark form

large flocks able to fly
in seemingly perfect
© J.J.Harrison; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters; Thinkstock; Nature PL; FLPA
synchronisation
as they migrate
long distances
to warmer
climes.

A zeal of zebras
of zebras
Perhaps this comes from a zebra’s zealous
Perhaps this comes from a zebra’s zealous
enthusiasm for family life. They are known
enthusiasm for family life. They are known
to form lifelong bonds and live in permanent
to form lifelong bonds and live in permanent
groups, showing great affection and loyalty
groups, showing great affection and loyalty
Z to one another.
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