Defence Strategies

All animals have adaptations that allow them to survive and thrive in their habitats (places they live). Some creatures have adapted to live in really harsh environments that have limited essential resources such as food, water and shelter. However, animals also have adaptations that help them survive in the face of danger.

You might have heard the saying ‘fight, flight or freeze’ which relates to how we (and other creatures) respond to a threat/danger.

Examples of these:

Fight: A cat will lash-out using it’s claws and teeth to try scare off danger.

Flight: A fish when you jump into a river will swim away quickly to escape danger.

Freeze: Archey’s frogs which stay still and use their camouflage to blend into their surroundings and avoid being eaten.

In this activity we are going to focus on the ‘fight’ in particular the use of venom, sting, charge/trample/kick, bite, and pierce/pinch strategies to get rid of danger.

Some of the creatures in this activity you may have heard of as dangerous/deadly: the important thing to remember is that in most cases these creatures are simply defending themselves in the face of danger. To stay safe we need to respect these creatures, give them space if we come across them, and treat them with care.

Printable defence strategy activity sheet HERE.

Answer sheets and defence facts HERE.