Page 87 - World of Animals - Issue #29

Animal answers

What is true flight? of true flight – their
Bats are the only
mammals capable

When it comes to animal locomotion in the air, we can light bone structure
reduces drag
neatly divide it into two categories: powered (or true) flight

and gliding. Only animals that use wings to take and, more

importantly, maintain flight would be considered users of

true flight. Unlike gliders, who travel passively through the

air, true flyers flap their wings for thrust and speed.
The ability for true flight is found in most types of flying

insect and the majority of birds and bats. It is associated
with a number of physical characteristics – true fliers

tend to be warm-blooded, with shortened torsos and
forelimbs that connect directly to their wings. It’s also
not uncommon for winged creatures of this ilk to have
enlarged hearts and sharp vision. However, both true

flight and gliding have evolved several times in the animal

kingdom, meaning that not all flyers are closely related.
Which animals have the
A sick or weak baby is
also a source of food and shortest lifespans?
energy – a vital resource
in harsher environments
Life is short, as the popular lifespan of only three days, while
saying goes, yet our lifetimes the drone ant follows close behind,
last an eternity compared to the with its three-week long existence.
unfortunate mayfly. It lives for a One of the shortest lifespans on

mere 24 hours (or even as little four legs belongs to the chameleon,

as an hour in some of its 2,500 which lives for just four or five
species). With such a small amount months a„er emerging from its

of time on Earth, the mayfly exists egg. Back in the oceans, the brine

simply to mate and reproduce. shrimp has a lifespan of less than
The gastrotrich, a type of one year, while the mosquitofish

microscopic marine life form, (found in the Gulf of Mexico) lives
comes in at a close second with a for only two years.
M a y fl i e s li v e f or
Mayfl ies live for
one day, their
entire existence a
rush to reproduce

Why do some animals

eat their babies?

Infanticide may sound extreme and strongest young will survive. Even within
distressing, but it’s actually a common the safety of a nest or den, if a mother
part of some reproduction behaviours and senses that a baby isn’t likely to survive (due
can be found across the animal kingdom – to illness or a birth defect) it will likely kill

bears, primates, birds, insects and fish are it outright. She simply sees the weak baby
all known to kill their own offspring. But as a liability, taking up resources that could

what drives a mother to turn from nurturing benefit her and her other offspring more.

parent to killer? A mother may also kill her young if she is Q. How do bees
The most likely reason relates to an unable to find enough food to feed the entire

infant’s health and wellbeing. Since a wild brood. In that scenario, the babies become make honey?
animal has no access to medicine, only the more viable as food than as family.
Find out at…
animalanswers.co.uk