Everyone knows that nature has awarded each representative of the fauna with certain protection mechanisms against threats that come from the external environment. And animals with needles are quite remarkable in this respect. Some of them are so "insured" by attacks from living creatures that they pose a serious danger even to human health.
It should be noted that animals with needles are characteristic in that they have a dense, prickly layer of skin, so it is almost impossible to get to their weak spots. They also carefully protect the "bare" areas, in case of danger immediately curled up in a ball.
So, which animals with needles are most protected from the adverse conditions of the outside world?
On the land
First of all, it is an Australian echidna. Her needles can hurt anyone who gets too close to her. The size of the echidna corresponds to the size of the hare. If you distract the animal while it is eating, it will immediately bury itself in the ground in such a way that only sticking needles are visible, and will remain in this position until the troublemaker leaves. Also, in order to protect the echidna can, like a hedgehog, curl into a ball, it has sharp needles even on its paws. In total on her body there are over 5 thousand spines.
What other animals with needles have reliable defense mechanisms? These include the armadillo lizard that lives on the island of Madagascar. This reptile has spiky hard plates that cover most of its body. She uses her “weapon” in two ways. On the tail spikes perform the function of protecting burrows. If a threat arises from somewhere, the animal sticks its tail into its mouth, transforming in this way into a "spike" wheel. Not every representative of the fauna can cope with such an obstacle.
What is the name of an animal with needles, in which they are thick, long and always folded back? Surely, every child knows the answer to this question. Of course, this is porcupine. He is also perfectly “armed” in order to withstand external stimuli. As soon as a threat arises, he immediately straightens his thorns and begins to shake his tail, while making a rattle that looks more like a hissing snake.
If his adversary did not react to such a warning, then in the next instant the animal releases needles directly into the face of its offender, who, in the end, no matter how strong he is, is forced to retreat, since the risk of being punctured by poisonous spikes is very high.
In water
Which animals with needles have enhanced protective immunity when swimming in the sea? Among them, we can distinguish porcupine fish, which is also called sea urchin. His needles are deadly. In its natural state, the spines of the water inhabitant are “smoothed” along the body. At the slightest suspicion of danger, he immediately absorbs a huge amount of water, his needles become “on end” and the sea urchin turns into a large spiny ball.
This is an additional confirmation of how unusual and amazing representatives of the fauna can be.