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Vulnerable positions

From the tallest animal to the smallest, once in a while a creature has to expose itself to it’s natural predators in order to survive.

When creatures get attacked by predators, sometimesthey unknowingly put themselves in vulnerable positions before. It becomes too late when these creatures realize that.

The tallest creatures of the planet – giraffes unknowingly put themselves in a vulnerable position. Disadvantaged by its body structure, it has to stretch its legs completely sideways and start drinking water. Luck has to favor them as crocodiles can prey on them at any moment.

               Miroslav Duchacek (from Czech Republic) [CC BY-SA 3.0                              (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)]

Large constrictor snakes like pythons, anacondas and boa constrictors are vulnerable from predation by terrestrial predators. When these giant snakes feast on any large animal like a wild pig or an antelope, they can go for several days without eating. During this period, these serpents go into a quiet place and stay still for the entire digestion process to take place. This can present a golden opportunity to their natural predators like big cats etc.

                                              LiCheng Shih [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]

Green iguanas which are America’s (both North & South America) iconic lizards are a prey species to many predators like wild dogs, wild cats, snakes and also raptors( birds of prey). But, when hungry raptors like hawks soar in the skies and spot them from above, these lizards just become frozen only upon hearing the hawk’s sound. It’s lunch time for hawks.

                                           Cayambe [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]

Sea turtles which inhabit the world’s marine areas have no known natural predators except sharks and killer whales (in water) which prey on them occasionally. But, when these reptiles come on land (especially the nesting females), they are slow and are vulnerable to terrestrial predators. We know there are many predators of sea turtle hatchlings. But, adults have only one natural predator on land i.e. the jaguar. It is so as the jaguar is the only wild cat known to prey on adult sea turtles (including giant leatherbacks) with impunity. Thanks to its powerful bite force. This happens only when any sea turtle comes to nest on beaches near Central or South American forests from where these big cats emerge.

                                     Claudio Giovenzana [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]

Comment(1)

  • Ujaan Roy

    September 25, 2019

    Very interesting facts! I never knew all this. This article has enriched my knowledge about wild animals and their behavorial habits!

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