{"id":10440,"date":"2021-11-05T15:46:11","date_gmt":"2021-11-05T15:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/?p=10440"},"modified":"2021-11-05T15:47:55","modified_gmt":"2021-11-05T15:47:55","slug":"back-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/index.php\/en\/back-off\/","title":{"rendered":"Back Off!"},"content":{"rendered":"

The fight or flight response is in our DNA.<\/h2>\n

In fact, it\u2019s in the DNA of animals across the world. However, some animals have particularly peculiar ways of defending themselves. Keep reading to find seven of the most mind boggling strategies wildlife have mustered to keep themselves safe.<\/p>\n

Playing Dead<\/h2>\n

When foxes, owls, birds of prey move in for the kill, the Eastern Hog-nosed Snake reacts\u2026.oddly. It starts to defend itself in a normal way you\u2019d expect for a snake \u2013 hissing and sometimes even striking out, but soon enough this Threatened species begins to act strangely. It plays dead. First up? Defecation. Next, the Eastern Hog-nosed Snake rolls onto its back and opens its jaws, letting its tongue hang out.<\/p>\n

Frightful Eyes<\/h2>\n

The Polyphemus Moth is one of Canada\u2019s largest moths \u2013 making them an easy to spot target for predators. Luckily, it\u2019s equipped with an eye-like pattern on each of its hind wings. When a predator approaches, the moth spreads its wings, revealing what appears to be a large and intimidating eye, hoping to spook the predator long enough that they have the opportunity to fly away.<\/p>\n

Poisonous Prey<\/h2>\n

\"lizMonarch larvae and caterpillars survive exclusively on milkweed \u2013 making this plant imperative to their survival. Milkweed toxins (cardiac glycosides<\/em>) are distasteful to birds, with the exception of a few species at the overwintering sites in Mexico. So when the Monarch noshes on milkweed in its youth, the poison is stored in their system (even when they fully develop into a full blown butterfly) and protects them from predators. Over time, predators have learned to leave these butterflies alone. The Viceroy Butterfly has created a fascinating relationship with the Monarch by replicating its colour patterns. With a wingspan of 70 to 75 millimetres and a black crosswise stripe across the bottom portion of its wings, the Viceroy is almost indistinguishable from the Monarch. As a result, predators avoid the Viceroy, too.<\/p>\n

Foul Stench<\/h2>\n

The Striped Skunk is so common in urban landscapes now that people know to run the other way when they spot one of these critters. When predators confront the Striped Skunk, it will stomp its feet and hiss before it sprays. If the predator is smart, it\u2019ll scuttle away before the skunk has a chance to spray. Sadly, some predators (including your loyal dog, Fido) don\u2019t get the hint, and before they know it the skunk is positioning itself in a u-shape with both its head and tail facing the predator and it\u2019s ready to spray. The Striped Skunk\u2019s spray can go the distance \u2013 up to six metres away and the smell can carry nearly an entire kilometre with the help of the wind. The musk is produced by two glands on both sides of the mammal\u2019s anus; these glands hold enough musk that the Striped Skunk can spray five to six times. Get out the tomato juice!<\/p>\n

Blood Bath<\/h2>\n

The Pygmy Sperm Whale has a startling defense mechanism that\u2019d make anyone feel squeamish. This marine mammal emits a reddish-brown fluid from its anus when it\u2019s feeling threatened. Researchers still have a lot to learn about this discharge, but they hypothesize that it\u2019s meant to resemble blood or act as a warning to predators.<\/p>\n

Painful Toxin<\/h2>\n

While most walking stick insects rely on their ability to blend in with their surroundings to evade predators, one of the North American species,\u00a0Anisomorpha buprestoides<\/em>, really steps it up a notch. This insect stores a handy fluid just behind its head that it can use in a jiffy when an attacker catches sight of it. By spraying the eyes of predators like ants, mice, beetles and birds, (up to 40 centimetres away!) it\u2019s able to make its great escape.<\/p>\n

Upchuck<\/h2>\n

Turkey Vultures are known to eat some fairly nasty things including carrion, rotting vegetation, eggs and feces. When a predator approaches, these large birds need to reduce their body weight in order to escape. Their strategy? Throw up. It appears to work too! When they lighten their load a bit, they\u2019re able to take off faster.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The fight or flight response is in our DNA. In fact, it\u2019s in the DNA of animals across the world. However, some animals have particularly peculiar ways of defending themselves.…<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":10442,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[631],"tags":[9055],"class_list":["post-10440","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-connect-with-nature","tag-defence"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10440","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/60"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10440"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10440\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10441,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10440\/revisions\/10441"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10442"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10440"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10440"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10440"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}