10 of the most bizarre animal defense mechanism in the world

  There are thousands and thousands of animals that exist in Earth. Each of them have different characteristics, as well as different methods to survive in the harsh nature. Among these animals, there are 10 animals, whose defense mechanisms are the most bizarre and strange in the world.

1. Malaysian Exploding Ant

These ants, as their name suggests, explodes when they are attacked. These ants have glands that are full of acidic toxic. When they meet a predator that is potentially dangerous, they contract their abs and the glands explode, spraying the poison at the predator. This method, although fatal to the ants themselves, can be very useful in causing the predator to run away, or even die.




2. Sea Cucumber

 These "cucumbers" can change their body states- from solid to liquid, and liquid to solid. The Sea Cucumbers have collagen in their skin, which allows them to effectively absorb or excrete water, to change their body states. The Sea cucumbers turn to liquid and squeeze through small gaps while returning to solid so that they cannot be extracted. A more interesting fact is that, these creatures can turn their body inside-out, which means that they can flip their digestive tract, leaving them exposed. The toxic juices from the digestive tract poison the predator.

3. Hagfish

The hagfish: they are not eels, neither they are snakes. These creatures secrete a very sticky micro fibrous goo when they sense a threat. This goo reacts with the surrounding water to create a suffocating slime barrier, almost immediately. This slime is very fibrous, and also firm, which makes it difficult for the predators as well as preys to escape. Some hagfish fall to their own defense mechanism sometimes, but they usually twist themselves into knots in order to escape from their own goo barrier.


4. Hairy Frog

These frogs have "painful" defense mechanism. They break their own bones when they sense threat, in order to release sharp claws which pierce through the skin and scratch the predator. The powerful muscle tissues around the claws contract when the frog senses danger, and hence pushes the claw out of the skin, revealing a strange yet deadly weapon. The scientists figured out that the wound would eventually heal itself, but they are not sure whether the "claws" can be retracted back or not.




5. Bombardier Beetle

Bombardier Beetle is the only known animal that is able to freely combine different chemicals together, to form a defensive mechanism. The insect's abdomen contains two combustible chemicals, which are hydrogen peroxide and hyrdroquinone. When the beetle meets a predator, it quickly mixes the two chemicals inside the body. After that, the beetle produces a special enzyme which allows the beetle to control when the explosion would occur. When the insect is ready to shoot, it fires a boiling hot chemical mixture through its anal glands. This chemical mixture is so hot that it can even cause skin burn when sprayed. It is also incredibly fast in speed, with considerably good aiming, since its abdomen can turn in 270 degrees, just like a turret.

6. Texas horned lizard

This lizard is usually found in the Southwest region of United States. Many people would expect the defense mechanism of this lizard as its horns and spiky scales on their body. In fact, the interesting fact is that this lizard defends itself by firing blood through their eyes. The lizard pressures its own sinus cavities, until the blood vessels around the eye explodes, firing blood through the eyes. This seems to be an intimidating defense mechanism, and there is a chemical inside the blood that gives a foul taste to the predators, chasing them away.





7. skunks

The skunk is one of the Mustelidae family, which includes weasels and ferrets, and is known for its musk, which has an incredibly disturbing smell. The skunk's anal musk is very powerful- in fact, it is so strong that when sprayed directly, the victim may suffer temporary blindness. The smell is also a very powerful defense weapon. The musk contains chemicals such as thiols, which contains highly offensive smell like rotten eggs, burnt rubber and garlic. This smell is powerful enough to chase off predators and can last for very long. The skunk can usually fire its musk from 3-6m, and the smell can be detected by human nose even from a mile away.


8. Opossum

Opossum is the actor in the animal world. It can play dead, which is so realistic that it can trick predators easily. It can foam at its mouth, in order to convince the predator that it is poisoned, sick or insane. The Opossum can also secrete a green fluid, which contains chemical that emits a foul smell. It is known that when the predator meets an Opossum playing dead, it easily loses its excitement of killing it, and just leaves the Opossum.

9.  Potato Beetle (larvae stage)

Potato beetle larvae does not have a hard shell until it becomes an adult insect. Hence, it appears as a very tasty meal for many predators, including other predatory insects and birds. A Potato beetle larvae has a very effective yet disturbing method of self defense. This beetle feeds on nightshade leaves, and after eating, they secrete feces which they pile them on their back, and carry around. When the predator tries to attack, it immediately presents its feces, which is smelly, distasteful and also poisonous. Hence, the predators usually avoid this insect. This method of defense is also referred as "fecal defense".





10. Hemeroplanes Caterpillar

Hemeroplanes Caterpillar is just an ordinary caterpillar at first, just with an exceptionally long and thick body. However, when it senses a threat, this insect immediately transforms into a different creature. This caterpillar is a master of disguise and camouflage- when it inflates its body, its triangular shaped head, together with a snake-like body skin, makes it resemble the pit viper, a poisonous and aggressive snake which is a predator to many animals. This caterpillar is also capable of flailing, mimicking the moves of the viper when it is ready to strike its victim. Hence, many predators tend to avoid this caterpillar, making its defense mechanism a very effective weapon.

Reflections
 The moment I saw this news article from the title lists, I was very curious and interested since I loved animals and their characteristics that allowed them to survive in the nature simply were out of our imagination. After reading this article, I was dumbfounded, and also respectful how amazing the nature was. These creatures had defense mechanisms that we could never think of or imitate.

 One of the two animals among the article that impressed me the most was the bombardier beetle. This beetle is basically a "scientist" in the bug world. No other animal knew how to combine different chemicals together, to form a steaming hot substance, which could potentially cause skin burns and even death to some smaller predators. It was so bizarre how a bug, when it did not even learn chemistry or how the hydrogen peroxide works, could utilize it so effectively that it could save its life, as a self-defense weapon.

  Anther animal was the Hemeroplanes caterpillar. This caterpillar really tricked my eyes when I first saw a photo of it. It really looked like a snake, and it was so realistic that I read the animal's name over and over again. This caterpillar was the master of disguise- the more interesting thing is, it did not just imitate an ordinary snake, but instead, it took the appearance of a pit viper, which was a very aggressive venomous snake. I was really surprised by how clever this caterpillar was, and realized that this appearance could indeed prevent many predators from attacking this caterpillar. The funniest thing I learnt about this caterpillar was its behavior. This crafty little caterpillar hunched its body back and forth, just like how the viper moved when it was ready to strike its victim. It was amazing how this caterpillar could even imitate the moves of the snake. Did it observe how the snake move and learn from it? I have no idea, but I had to admit that I was amazed by the mother nature once again.

Breast milk-the power of mother's love

  The first "food" that a baby receives when it is born is his mother's breast milk. The benefits of breast milk have long been known and appreciated, but recently scientists at Duke University Medical Center figured out that breast milk was much more effective in protecting the infants from potential diseases and illness.

Recently, a research was published in the "Current Nutrition & food science" that the a mother's breast milk fosters colonies of microbiotic flora in a newborn's intestinal tract that provides the infant with better nutrition absorption and also improve their immune system. 
  
   William Parker, PhD, associate professor of surgery at Duke and senior author of the study claims that this study would be useful as it tells us how the breast milk could affect the bacteria system. Moreover, in cases where breast milk was not available, they could mimic a similar type of substitute in order for the babies to maintain its nutrition level and immune system.  Scientists have also figured out how the diet, together with the intestinal flora, of the infant could play a key role in his immune system. Earlier studies have shown that breast milk lowers the incidence of diarrhea, influenza and respiratory infections during infancy, while protecting against the later development of allergies, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and other illnesses.

  In order to prove their theory correct, the scientists grew bacteria in samples of infant formulas, cow's milk and breast milk. For the infant formula, the researchers used three brands each of popular milk- and soy-based products, and they purchased whole milk from the grocery store. Breast milk was donated and processed to separate different components, including proteins, fats and carbohydrates. They also tested a purified form of an antibody called secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), which is abundant in breast milk and helps establish an infant's immune system. These products were all assigned with E-coil bacteria. In the breast milk, bacteria stuck together to form biofilms -- thin, adherent layers of bacteria that serve as a shield against pathogens and infections. Bacteria in the infant formula and cow's milk proliferated wildly, but it grew as individual organisms that did not aggregate to form a protective barrier. The bacteria in SIgA had mixed results, suggesting that this antibody by itself isn't enough to trigger the beneficial biofilm formation. Hence, it shows that the breast milk of mother's was much more powerful and healthier than any artificial milk-based products and even SIgA. 

E-coil bacteria 

  
This study has allowed the scientists to mimic the mother's breast milk as closely as possible, and potentially help out those infants, who by some accident, did not receive their mother's milk. Parker claims that his group would conduct more researches and studies on human whey have a clumping effect on the bacteria, and what bacteria could be protected from the body. The scientists hope that they can produce a more healthier version of infant formula, which can work as effective as the breast milk.

here is a video about the benefits of breast milk; 





this video talks about how the breast feeding is not only important to the child's development, but also important and beneficial to the mother who is feeding the child as well.

Reflections

  I never knew that a mother's breast milk was so beneficial to her child. It was basically an all-rounder medicine, which provides everything that the child needs during its infant stage. I believe that the breast milk is what allowed us to be here, healthy and strong. Without the breast milk, I doubt that we would be able to survive, as we would be prone to many diseases including infant-stage infections. 

  I hope that the scientists succeed in developing substances that can work extremely effective, almost perfectly imitating what the mother's breast milk does. This could help to save many children who can not receive their mother's breast milk, due to some factors. Moreover, not only a "super milk" could be created, the substances that can be found in mother's breast milk can be used to create medicine and vaccines that can help to improve the immune system of many people who are suffering from diseases.

  In my opinion, I believe that the reason why breast milk is so beneficial to the infants is not only due to the healthy substances inside the milk that can prevent diseases and infections, but also partially thanks to the mothers' love towards their children. Without the mothers' love towards their children, their children would not be able to grow healthily. This may sound superstitious, but it is also proven scientifically. According to a research done by some scientists, the baby feel more comfortable and relaxed when he is breast fed, than drinking milk through a bottle. Hence I feel that an incredibly important bond between a mother and her child can be form when she is breast feeding her child, and therefore influence the child's development.