june-2010

ANIMAL ACTION
Defying death
Luxuriating among these usually deadly stingers is a spinecheek
anemonefi sh. The colourful little fellow, a relative of
the clown fi sh (like those in the fi lm Finding Nemo), hides out
among anemone tentacles whenever predators come near.
Normally, when a fi sh brushes past such tentacles, it gets a
lethal sting. But the anemonefi sh is protected, it’s believed,
by a layer of mucus that coats its slimy skin.
58 Holland Herald TOGETHER
“ This sensory
combination means
predators have a tough
time sneaking up on
either er beast
beast”
Farm life
This bug-faced beastie may seem like something found in
wilder parts of the tropics but it is, in fact, in tranquil Surrey,
southern England. The red ant and its aphid buddies (the
little green fellows) hang around together to lunch on
nettles. The aphids get protection from bigger bugs, and
the ants get to farm the honeydew that the aphids secrete
when they eat. And when the feeding is done, the ants
give the aphids a lift to the next feeding place.
All eyes and ears
The grey langur
monkey is renowned
for its excellent
eyesight, the chital
deer for its sensitive
sniffer. Together, this
special sensory
combination means
predators have a
tough time sneaking
up on either beast.
The langurs often sit
next to herds of the
deer, or in trees
nearby, where they
get a better view, and
often dislodge fruits
that the deer eat.
Words: Matt Farquharson. Photos: Hollandse Hoogte; Corbis;
Getty Images; Gary Bell/OceanwideImages.com