66 HOW ANIMALS LIVE

FIGHTING FOR MATES

Male animals often need to be strong, and able to guard females and their young against ever-present dangers from predators.
So males more than females tend to be be fighters, sparring against each other to decide who is the strongest and likely to be the
best and most effective mate. Fights over mates are most likely to occur early in breeding season.

^BRED FOR COMBAT

These freshwater fish, only 2 inches ( 5 cm ) long, are at home in southeast Asia.
Ear

This male Siamese fighting fish spend much time threatening other males by swishing by and
swirling by and swirling jets of water at them. Brown hare bucks in spring put on a show of mad
leaping, dancing and kicking one another, with the does ( females ) looking on. Male zebras, too,
kick and bite each other other, the dominant ones warning off the others. Jungle fowl attack
competing males with their long, sharp leg spurs. Moose give a less energetic show of strength by
pushing each other,head to head, intertwining antlers.
70 HOW ANIMALS LIVE

CLAWS AN TEETH

CLAWS
Claws are the horny, pointed tips that are grown by many land animals on the ends of their fingers and toes. We
have nails, while cows and horses have hooves, but animals that climb or catch prey are better equipped with claws.
76 HOW ANIMALS LIVE

TEETH

^ WOOLLY OPOSSUM
Woolly opossums live quietly, seldom meeting live quietly,
seldom meeting others of their kind or quarrelling among
themselves. But they have 44 formidable teeth in their long jaws
to defend themselves and their young against predators.
This male baboon has cutting and spiking teeth in front, and grinding teeth at the back. Woolly
opossums have a log row of pin -sharp teeth that give a formidable bite. Tigers use their teeth
mainly for tearing meat and crunching bones, but they also show them in threat displays.
Elephants’ tusks are huge, long teeth that grow throughout life, so they signify their owner’s age
and experience. Blue sharks have dozens of razor-edged teeth, set in rows around the edge of their
mouths, and useful for just one thing - biting.

MALE THOMSON’S GAZELLES

During the breeding season, male gazelles
claim their territories where they will mate
with females. The winner is usually decided
a fight or by the two males locking horns and
pushing each other. Whichever one proves
to be the weaker male usually runs away
to find a new territory.