The passage discusses various ways animals protect their young from predators. It begins with the Great Dusky Swift, a bird that lives near waterfalls and flies through the powerful jets of water to hide its babies. The narrator then describes how some animals have evolved unique defense mechanisms to protect their offspring, such as the hornbill's sealed nest, the armadillo's curled-up defense, and the frog's rapid hatching in response to predators.
The passage also highlights the clever ways some animals care for their young, such as the mother fish that keeps her babies in her mouth for protection, and the female crocodile that transports her babies from the nest to the water to keep them safe from other predators.
Additionally, the passage mentions the unique symbiotic relationship between crocodiles and birds, where the birds lay their eggs near the crocodile's nest and help guard each other's offspring. The narrator also notes that some small animals, like rodents and squirrels, use different strategies to protect their young, such as breeding in large numbers or using shed snake skin to cover their scent.
Overall, the passage showcases the diverse and creative ways animals have evolved to protect their young and ensure their survival.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The great dusky swift lives in rainforests near waterfalls in northern South America.
2. The great dusky swift is adapted to the powerful jets of water from the waterfall and flies through them twice a day.
3. Swifts spend all day in the air and return to their nests in the evening.
4. Swifts are born in nests hidden from predators by a constant stream of water.
5. No raptor can climb high enough to reach the swifts' nests.
6. Hornbills seal the entrance to their nests with dirt, droppings, or fruit pulp to protect themselves and their eggs.
7. Female hornbills destroy the constructed wall of their nests after the chicks hatch and reseal it when the chicks leave.
8. Some species of hornbills dump their waste through a hole in the nest.
9. Armadillos protect themselves by curling up in a ball.
10. Frog parents do not need to guard their offspring due to a special escape protocol that allows the tadpoles to rapidly mature and escape when a predator is near.
11. The escape protocol is triggered by the vibrations created by the snake's movement.
12. The tadpoles secrete special enzymes to dissolve the sticky shell and break free.
13. Circopodia (relatives of cicadas) form a thick foam around themselves as protection.
14. The foam is made from the nymphs' watery urine mixed with a special sticky liquid.
15. The foam serves as a natural barrier against predators and has an unpleasant bitter taste.
16. Big moth hap fish lay their eggs in a nest made of strange garbage, providing a high level of safety.
17. The big moth hap fish is a species found only in Lake Malawi in Africa or in aquariums.
18. Female big moth hap fish keep their babies in their mouths for protection.
19. Crocodiles transport their babies from the birthplace to the water by mouth to protect them from predators.
20. Female crocodiles react to the sound of imitating babies and rush to the eggs or scare off predators.
21. Little crocodiles have "nannies" in the form of euro-asian stone curlews that lay their eggs near the crocodiles' clutches and guard them together.
22. Stone curlews are small birds that are courageous and defend their offspring against predators.
23. Crocodiles help the stone curlews by preying on predators that approach their joint nesting places.
24. Squirrels use shed snake skin to cover their scent and protect themselves and their babies from predators.
25. Female Nile crocodiles can lay up to 100 eggs at a time, which is necessary to preserve the population due to high mortality rates.