Predator features
Sharp teeth and claws (lions, eagles), excellent eyesight (owls), speed (cheetahs), camouflage (tigers' stripes).
Prey features
Sharp hearing (rabbits), camouflage (deer), fast running (gazelles), warning colours (poison frogs), shells or quills (turtles, hedgehogs).
The balance
Predators keep prey numbers in check; prey keep predators fed. This balance keeps ecosystems healthy.
🔑 Key Terms
- Predator
- An animal that hunts and eats other animals.
- Prey
- An animal that is hunted by predators.
- Ecosystem
- A community of living things and their environment.
Did you know?
A peregrine falcon can dive at over 380 km/h to catch prey — the fastest animal on Earth!
Try it at home: Spot the camouflage
- Go outside and find 3 examples of camouflage — insects, leaves, lizards.
- Take photos or sketch them.
- How does the colour or pattern help them hide?