You are reading our best questions and answers in the what do animals eat category

A bird is a feathery, warm blooded animal that lays eggs. It has forelimbs that are wings and it is, in most cases, able to fly. There are approximately 100,000 species of bird worldwide and they live in many different ecosystems across the globe. Birds range in size from the very small Hummingbird 2 inches (5 cm) to the Ostrich which is 9 ft (2.75m). All birds have feathers, a beak with no teeth, lay hard shelled eggs, and have a lightweight skeleton, fast metabolism and a four chambered heart. Birds are social creatures that communicate via whistles, call and songs. They often stay together in flocks and will mate for select months or years but rarely for life.

A crayfish is a spiny warm-water lobster without claws. They are natively found in waters surrounding Australia, South Africa, California and Florida. They resemble a lobster but are smaller in size. They live in fresh water and sea water. In counties such as Australia and New Zealand the fresh water variety are known by a different name. There are 3 families of crayfish, two in the northern hemisphere and one in the southern hemisphere. The world’s largest crayfish is found in the streams and rivers of Tasmania, Australia.

Polar bears are easily recognized as the large, white bears that inhabit the arctic region. They are one of the most easily recognized species of bear due to their white coloring and features in documentaries and advertisements. Polar bears live within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses but there are many in zoos and wildlife reserves all over the world. They are the largest species of bear and are also the largest land dwelling carnivores. The Polar Bear has adapted to its life in the freezing cold temperatures of the arctic and has a heavy coat covering a thick layer of fat. The Polar Bear also has black skin under its thick coat to soak in the sun. Polar Bears have the ability to move agilely on the ice and snow and are very competent swimmers. They are classified as a vulnerable species as 8 out of the 19 sub-populations are in decline.

Anacondas are large reptiles that are part of the boa snake species. As they are part of the boa family they use constriction to squeeze and suffocate their prey rather than injecting it with venom. They are well known for being one of the largest species of snake in the world. There are four different species of anaconda. These are the Green Anaconda which are found east of the Andes in Colombia, Venezuela, the Guiana’s, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, and on the island of Trinidad, the Yellow Anaconda which is found in eastern Bolivia, southern Brazil, Paraguay and north eastern Argentina, the Dark-Spotted Anaconda a rare species found in north eastern Brazil, coastal French Guiana and Guyana and the Bolivian Anaconda which is was discovered in 2002 in the flood plains of Bolivia’s Pando province. All anacondas are aquatic snakes that prefer to live in wet, swampy areas and are synonymous with the Amazon Jungle.

Rats are small to medium sized animals that are part of the rodent family. They live almost everywhere in the world. There are 2 species of rat that are part of the genus Rattus but many other animals also bare the name “rat”. These 2 species are the black rat (Rattus rattus) and the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus). They are larger than mice and can be black, brown, white or a mixture of these colors. Male rats are called bucks and female rats are called does or dams depending on whether they have had babies. Baby rats are known as kittens or pups. A group of rats in called a pack or a mischief.

Pandas are large members of the bear family. They are one of the most easily recognized species of bear due to their distinctive black and white coloring. Pandas live mostly in China and Nepal but there are many in zoos and wildlife reserves all over the world. There are only three species of panda in the world. These are the Giant Panda (which is the panda we are most familiar with), the Qinling Panda (which is a subspecies of the Giant Panda and is dark brown and light brown in color) and the Red Panda (which is a panda by name only and is not related to the Giant Panda but is actually part of the raccoon family).

Turtles are part of the reptile family and are ectothermic (cold-blooded) meaning that they regulate their body temperature by using external factors such as sunlight and water. There are many different species of turtle that live all over the world. There is estimated to be 300 different species of turtle. Many turtles spend time both on land and in the water but will return to land to lay their eggs.

Frogs are animals that live partly in water and partly on land. They are part of the group of animals know as amphibians. Frogs can be found on every continent in the world apart from Antarctica. They are a cold-blooded animal and require the sun and water to help them regulate their body temperature.

A lion is a large mammal that is a member of the feline family. It is the second largest big cat second only to the tiger. It is often described as a large cat with a mane. Lions live in the savannahs and grasslands of Africa and India.

Tigers are one of the most easily recognizable animals with a distinctive stripy pattern and orange coloration of their fur. Tigers are the largest of the four ‘big cats’ and can reach lengths of up to 3.3 m (11 ft) and can weigh up to 306 kg (670 lb). They have a relatively long life span with a life expectancy of 20-25 years. Tigers once inhabited much of Asia, but their habitat has significantly shrunk in the last century. Due to the loss of up to 95% of their natural habitat the number of tigers in the wild has dropped. Tigers are solitary animals and need large tracks of territory with significant numbers of prey.