In the natural world, almost every creature has its own tricks for survival. Some animals are even “masters” of defense, equipped with incredibly impressive and unique escape strategies.
Opossum: Playing Dead
Never be fooled by the seemingly harmless appearance of the opossum with its soft fur; when it comes to defense, this creature is truly a genius. Opossums typically react to danger by playing dead: they fall to the ground, froth at the mouth as if severely ill, and then lie motionless with their mouths agape, excreting a foul-smelling green liquid from their anal glands. The most peculiar aspect of this animal’s defense mechanism is that it is more of a subconscious psychological response to danger rather than a conscious one. Since predators often prefer to kill their prey, they lose interest in victims that appear to be comatose, usually walking away. A perfect score for the opossum in wisdom.
African Crested Porcupine: Shooting Sharp Quills
The African crested porcupine has given the term “acupuncture” an entirely new meaning. When threatened, these mischievous creatures puff up their quills and make rattling sounds to appear bigger and frighten enemies away. If that fails, the porcupine will attempt to charge from the back or side, launching its sharp quills at the foe. Alternatively, it may stop suddenly, causing the enemy to crash into its bristly quills. The quills easily detach from the “parent” body, and once they penetrate a predator’s body, the tiny barbs on the quills actually drive them deeper into the wound, rupturing blood vessels and even internal organs. Such attacks have been known to kill lions, leopards, hyenas, and even humans. An interesting fact is that these porcupines possess natural antibiotics in their bodies to prevent infections if they fall from trees and accidentally get pierced by their own quills.
Hairy Frog: Growing Claws on its Feet
Do you remember the werewolf character in the Hollywood blockbuster “X-Men” and his famous claws? The werewolf looks fierce and captivating as his sharp claws break through the skin between his fingers, defying all logic of human physiology. But when an unremarkable amphibian intends to do the same, it looks terrifying. When sensing danger, the hairy frog actively breaks its bones to create claws that pierce through the soles of its feet. It is believed that the tips of the hairy frog’s bones are shaped like sharp claws and are connected to a specific muscle. When this muscle contracts, it pulls the claws downward, detaching them from the rest of the bone and protruding from the bottom of the foot.
Malaysian Ant: “Suicidal Bombing”
These tiny, loyal members of the insect class are so territorial that they are willing to commit suicide and explode their bodies into thousands of organic pieces if they sense a threat nearby. Thus, they are not only effective in destroying enemies but also in destroying themselves. While Malaysian ants may not be the smartest creatures for taking their own lives, their dedication and sacrifice for their small colony are admirable. A unique feature of Malaysian ants is that they possess large glands filled with toxic substances in their bodies. When they detect an intruder, they signal each other and release these toxic glands on their heads to self-ignite, explode, and scatter poison everywhere. It’s truly an impressive “suicidal bombing” maneuver.
Squirrel: Autotomy of its Tail
The small and adorable appearance of the squirrel makes it hard for anyone to wish to harm them. However, they are actually “masters” of defense and always ready to counter any attack with a secret strategy. Typically, squirrels try to escape from predators or bite back. However, when these measures fail, it’s time for them to switch to Plan B: sacrificing a part of their body as an automatic defense mechanism. If you pay attention, you will notice that the skin on a squirrel’s tail is quite loose. If a predator attacks and grabs this little creature’s tail, the skin will peel off, allowing it to escape. Isn’t that amazing? However, it’s important to note that squirrels can only use this trick once in their lifetime because after the skin peels off, the remaining bone is either gnawed away by the animal itself or falls off naturally.
Slow Loris: Self-Application of Venom
You may have never heard of the slow loris, but here’s a way to describe them: a venomous primate. True to its name, the slow loris moves extremely slowly, making them easy targets for predators. To compensate for their inherent sluggishness, they are equipped with a super effective weapon against danger. These animals have venomous glands on their elbows. Strangely, slow lorises deter attackers by licking their elbows, self-applying venom all over their bodies, and even on their offspring before leaving them to forage for food. Another special thing about this creature is that they have a snake-like ability: to lick and suck the venom into their mouths, then bite and inject venom into their foes, causing
Beware of this tiny creature! Unlike other sub-species of lizards, the horned lizard is a peculiar type, equipped with spikes and a diet primarily consisting of ants. They possess a variety of defense mechanisms to evade predators, such as camouflage, puffing up their bodies, or executing short, erratic runs to confuse their attackers. However, the most unusual defense mechanism is their ability to protect themselves by shooting blood from their eyes at aggressors. This process occurs by increasing the pressure in their sinuses until the blood vessels in their eyes burst, accurately spraying blood at the predator like a sniper’s shot.
