Animal grouping:
The first and most important thing you need to know about animals is that they are classified into groups based on a variety of their characteristics. These groups include mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish, crustaceans, mollusks, insects, and many more.
Mammals: Mammals are an interesting group of animals. They include cats, dogs, whales, humans and many more. Mammals share many things in common. To start, they all have hair or fur somewhere on their body. They are also warm blooded, meaning that they can produce their own body heat. Because of this, mammals can survive in almost any kind of habitat. They reproduce sexually and give birth to live young, although there are three mammal species that lay eggs.
Reptiles: There are 4 main groups that make up reptiles. These are crocodilians, turtles and tortoises, snakes, and lizards. The tuatara is a species that makes up its own group, although it greatly resembles a lizard. Reptiles are cold blooded, meaning that they cannot produce their own body heat like humans. Because of this, reptiles are most common in warmer areas. Unlike mammals, reptiles lay eggs.
Amphibians: Amphibians are somewhat similar to reptiles. Both are cold blooded and lay eggs. However, amphibians' must retain moisture in their skin to stay alive. Consequently, amphibians are most common in areas with access to shallow freshwater. Amphibians include frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians.
Birds: Birds are well known for their ability to fly, although several species, such as penguins and ostriches, cannot. Birds are a very large and diverse group of animals, ranging greatly in size and color. I personally, categorize birds into 6 main groups. These groups are birds of prey, wading birds and ducks, songbirds, seabirds, parrots and parakeets, and non-flying birds. All birds have feathers, lay eggs, and are warm blooded.
Fish: Fish are an extremely diverse group. With more than 20,000 different species, they can be found in nearly all bodies of water, freshwater or saltwater. Unlike most other animals, fish do not breathe air. Instead, their gills, which are actually respiratory organs, extracts oxygen from water and expels carbon dioxide. Most fish are cold blooded and lay eggs. There are hundreds of different groups of fish. These include sharks, rays, eels, seahorses, and many more.
Crustaceans: Crustaceans are cold blooded, egg laying invertebrates. They are mostly aquatic, inhabiting both freshwater and saltwater. Crustaceans include lobsters, crabs, krill, shrimp, crayfish, and barnacles.
Mollusks: There are more than 80,000 known species of mollusk. Mollusks, like most other invertebrates, are cold blooded and lay eggs. Kinds of mollusks include snails, slugs, scallops, oysters, mussels, octopus and squid. It is estimated that mollusks make up slightly more than 20 percent of all aquatic organisms.
Insects: Insects are infamous for bugging people, giving them their more common and generic name, bugs. Scientists have identified more than a million species of insect. However, many believe that there are more than 20 million species that we have not yet discovered. Insects are cold blooded and lay eggs.
Evolution:
The second thing you need to know about animals is the theory of evolution. Evolution is the process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth. The first person to adopt the theory of evolution was a brilliant geologist named Charles Darwin. Darwin was famous for many things, but founding this theory was his greatest achievement. He spent a good deal of time studying wildlife of the Galapagos Islands. While on the islands, one of the many things Darwin studied were small finches. He noticed that different species had differently shaped beaks. After a while of studying, he concluded that each finch had a beak specially designed for the kinds of seeds or plants that made up its diet.
The first and most important thing you need to know about animals is that they are classified into groups based on a variety of their characteristics. These groups include mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish, crustaceans, mollusks, insects, and many more.
Mammals: Mammals are an interesting group of animals. They include cats, dogs, whales, humans and many more. Mammals share many things in common. To start, they all have hair or fur somewhere on their body. They are also warm blooded, meaning that they can produce their own body heat. Because of this, mammals can survive in almost any kind of habitat. They reproduce sexually and give birth to live young, although there are three mammal species that lay eggs.
Reptiles: There are 4 main groups that make up reptiles. These are crocodilians, turtles and tortoises, snakes, and lizards. The tuatara is a species that makes up its own group, although it greatly resembles a lizard. Reptiles are cold blooded, meaning that they cannot produce their own body heat like humans. Because of this, reptiles are most common in warmer areas. Unlike mammals, reptiles lay eggs.
Amphibians: Amphibians are somewhat similar to reptiles. Both are cold blooded and lay eggs. However, amphibians' must retain moisture in their skin to stay alive. Consequently, amphibians are most common in areas with access to shallow freshwater. Amphibians include frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians.
Birds: Birds are well known for their ability to fly, although several species, such as penguins and ostriches, cannot. Birds are a very large and diverse group of animals, ranging greatly in size and color. I personally, categorize birds into 6 main groups. These groups are birds of prey, wading birds and ducks, songbirds, seabirds, parrots and parakeets, and non-flying birds. All birds have feathers, lay eggs, and are warm blooded.
Fish: Fish are an extremely diverse group. With more than 20,000 different species, they can be found in nearly all bodies of water, freshwater or saltwater. Unlike most other animals, fish do not breathe air. Instead, their gills, which are actually respiratory organs, extracts oxygen from water and expels carbon dioxide. Most fish are cold blooded and lay eggs. There are hundreds of different groups of fish. These include sharks, rays, eels, seahorses, and many more.
Crustaceans: Crustaceans are cold blooded, egg laying invertebrates. They are mostly aquatic, inhabiting both freshwater and saltwater. Crustaceans include lobsters, crabs, krill, shrimp, crayfish, and barnacles.
Mollusks: There are more than 80,000 known species of mollusk. Mollusks, like most other invertebrates, are cold blooded and lay eggs. Kinds of mollusks include snails, slugs, scallops, oysters, mussels, octopus and squid. It is estimated that mollusks make up slightly more than 20 percent of all aquatic organisms.
Insects: Insects are infamous for bugging people, giving them their more common and generic name, bugs. Scientists have identified more than a million species of insect. However, many believe that there are more than 20 million species that we have not yet discovered. Insects are cold blooded and lay eggs.
Evolution:
The second thing you need to know about animals is the theory of evolution. Evolution is the process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth. The first person to adopt the theory of evolution was a brilliant geologist named Charles Darwin. Darwin was famous for many things, but founding this theory was his greatest achievement. He spent a good deal of time studying wildlife of the Galapagos Islands. While on the islands, one of the many things Darwin studied were small finches. He noticed that different species had differently shaped beaks. After a while of studying, he concluded that each finch had a beak specially designed for the kinds of seeds or plants that made up its diet.
Both of these pictures came from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwin
Energy transfer:
Another important thing you need to know about animals is how they obtain energy. Energy for animals originates from the sun. Plants use the sun for photosynthesis. The plants are then eaten by other animals and the energy is transferred. Then those animals are eaten by other animals and the energy is transferred again. This continues until the animal dies. Then, as the animal's body decays, its energy is transferred again. Although it may not seem like it, everything and I mean everything in an ecosystem is connected in some way, even things that are completely different. For example, a carnivore that doesn't eat plants of any kind still gets energy from those plants. Some of the animals that make up its diet get their energy from plants. Without the plants, the carnivore wouldn't have anything to eat. As surprising as it may sound, animals hunting other animals is beneficial. Hunting keeps their population from escalating to rapidly. Consequently, many animals that are common prey for a variety of predators reproduce quickly.
Another important thing you need to know about animals is how they obtain energy. Energy for animals originates from the sun. Plants use the sun for photosynthesis. The plants are then eaten by other animals and the energy is transferred. Then those animals are eaten by other animals and the energy is transferred again. This continues until the animal dies. Then, as the animal's body decays, its energy is transferred again. Although it may not seem like it, everything and I mean everything in an ecosystem is connected in some way, even things that are completely different. For example, a carnivore that doesn't eat plants of any kind still gets energy from those plants. Some of the animals that make up its diet get their energy from plants. Without the plants, the carnivore wouldn't have anything to eat. As surprising as it may sound, animals hunting other animals is beneficial. Hunting keeps their population from escalating to rapidly. Consequently, many animals that are common prey for a variety of predators reproduce quickly.
Conservation:
Conservation is another important thing you need to know about animals. Conservation is the preserving of something. In this case, it means the preserving of animals. With the world advancing and expanding, animal populations worldwide are being depleted. This is a very big problem facing the world. To me, it is an extremely big problem. Animals are living things, just like we are. They share this planet with us. Although I do believe in construction and development, most people do not have any regard to the amazing things we live by. I know that humans are more important than animals, but without them, the whole world would be different. Nothing will stop humans from expanding, especially now that the world population is growing, but things can be done to prevent rapid expansion. Construction, pollution, and poaching are the biggest reasons for animals' scarcity. Some animals have simply never been common. However, there are many that were once common. I'll bet you can guess what caused their population to decline. Bison, for example, were once abundant throughout North America. In fact, before the pilgrims arrived, there were more than 30 million roaming the grasslands and open prairies of North America. However, the pilgrims soon discovered how much money they could make by hunting these huge mammals. Hunting reduced their wild population to less than a 800 in the 1890s. This is just one example of how humans hurt animal populations. Today, more than 16,000 species of animals are classified as threatened or endangered. And some of these animals just happen to be some of my favorites. This makes me very angry. However, there is a glimpse of hope. Captive breeding programs and reintroduction programs are helping threatened species worldwide. Some have even been saved by humans. If it weren't for people who actually care about animals, many creatures we see at the zoo wouldn't be there. Although the future is dark for animals, there is a little light. If people stop rapid construction and pollution, we may help the amazing creatures we share our world with.
Conservation is another important thing you need to know about animals. Conservation is the preserving of something. In this case, it means the preserving of animals. With the world advancing and expanding, animal populations worldwide are being depleted. This is a very big problem facing the world. To me, it is an extremely big problem. Animals are living things, just like we are. They share this planet with us. Although I do believe in construction and development, most people do not have any regard to the amazing things we live by. I know that humans are more important than animals, but without them, the whole world would be different. Nothing will stop humans from expanding, especially now that the world population is growing, but things can be done to prevent rapid expansion. Construction, pollution, and poaching are the biggest reasons for animals' scarcity. Some animals have simply never been common. However, there are many that were once common. I'll bet you can guess what caused their population to decline. Bison, for example, were once abundant throughout North America. In fact, before the pilgrims arrived, there were more than 30 million roaming the grasslands and open prairies of North America. However, the pilgrims soon discovered how much money they could make by hunting these huge mammals. Hunting reduced their wild population to less than a 800 in the 1890s. This is just one example of how humans hurt animal populations. Today, more than 16,000 species of animals are classified as threatened or endangered. And some of these animals just happen to be some of my favorites. This makes me very angry. However, there is a glimpse of hope. Captive breeding programs and reintroduction programs are helping threatened species worldwide. Some have even been saved by humans. If it weren't for people who actually care about animals, many creatures we see at the zoo wouldn't be there. Although the future is dark for animals, there is a little light. If people stop rapid construction and pollution, we may help the amazing creatures we share our world with.