Locomotion
Locomotion is the ability of moving common to many living organisms and which plays a key role in the search for food and in interaction.
- Flying: using wings (birds, insects and mammals, such as bats).
- Swimming: using fins. (such as fish, amphibians, some birds and some mammals, such as whales or otters).
- Running or jumping: using legs. They may have two, four, six, eight, or hundreds (such as insects, reptiles, birds, amphibians and mammals)
- Crawling: this is done by sliding along the ground (worms, snakes or snails)
Defence mechanisms
The defence mechanism is a part of the interaction function.
When an animal faces a dangerous situation, they use different defence mechanisms to defend themselves:
- Confrontation, when an animal faces the attack directly.
- Flight, fleeing is one of the most immediate forms of defence and follows innate patterns.
- Camouflage, using colours similar to the ground.
- Threatening colours or patterns, which discourage possible attackers and warn of possible danger.
- Mechanical protection, such as shells to hide in, or spines, needles or repellent secretions to discomfort the enemy.
- Grouping in colonies, as with some birds, which nest together for better defence.
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Plants also have their own defence mechanisms to avoid being eaten or to survive in dry inhospitable areas, such as:
- Spines, which are extremely unpleasant if eaten or touched by an animal.
- Hard leaves, which are unappetising to herbivores
- Unpleasant flavour, which discourages hungry herbivores.
- Unpleasant odour, which produces a similar affect to the previous mechanism.
- Releasing sticky or stinging substances, which are very unpleasant to the attacker.
