The Rainforest - Hunters and Killers
Predators have to catch and kill other animals if they are to survive. They need to detect their
prey before it sees them, to stalk, ambush or outrun it before it escapes, and incapacitate it
before it can do them harm. To do all this they must have acute senses. Daytime hunters
often rely on their keen eyesight to find prey. Nocturnal hunters need other skills - a highly
developed sense of hearing or smell, or an ability to detect vibrations made by an
approaching animal. Prey animals have their own defences and means of avoiding capture,
such as camouflage, so an incompetent hunter goes hungry.
Red-kneed tarantula
As well as dry rocky places, the red-kneed tarantula lives in
humid forests. During the day, it stays in its silk-lined burrow.
After dark, it emerges to hunt for large insects or small
vertebrates. It injects prey with a venom that quickly causes
paralysis.
Nile crocodile
The Nile crocodile, together with the saltwater crocodile, is the largest of the jungle
predators. It can reach a record 6m (18ft) in length, but even the smaller ones are powerful
enough to overcome large animals - and people that come down to the rivers in which it lives.
Lurking unseen in the water, crocodiles are capable
of surprising bursts of speed as they lunge forward
to grab a drinking animal by the muzzle. They kill by dragging their catch underwater until it
drowns.
Lancehead snake
The small common lancehead is nocturnal, locating warm-blooded prey with heat sensitive
pits between its eyes and nostrils. When a victim is in range, the snake gapes open its mouth,
and two long front fangs swing forwards. As the snake strikes, these fangs stab, injecting a
lethal venom.
Leopard
The leopard hunts by leaping on prey from above and killing it with a
bite to the throat or neck.
Boa constrictor
The boa constrictor waits motionless until its prey comes close enough, its air-borne scent
picked up by the snake’s tongue and transferred to the highly sensitive
Jacobson’s organs on the roof of its mouth. The snake strikes open-mouthed,
gripping its catch with its fangs and coiling round the animals body. Each
time the animal breathes out, the snake tightens its coils a little more, until
the prey is suffocated.
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The Rainforest - Hunters and Killers
Find these words in your dictionary and write down their meaning.
predator …………………………………………………………………………………….
prey ..…………………………….………………………………………………………….
stalk ………………………………………………………………...……………………….
incapacitate ………………………………………………………………………………...
acute ………………………………………………………………………………………...
nocturnal …………………………………………………………………………………...
detect ………………………………………………………………………………………..
incompetent ………………………………………………………………………………...
carnivore …………………………………………………………………………………...
herbivore …………………………………………………………………………………...
Read the information and then decide if these statements are true or false or that there is not
enough information to decide either way (don’t know). Put a tick in the correct box.
True
False Don’t
know
The red-kneed tarantula is nocturnal.
This tarantula is one of the largest spiders in the rainforest.
The Nile crocodile is a carnivore.
The Nile crocodile kills its prey with venom.
The lancehead snake is quite small.
The lancehead snake’s venom paralyses its victim but does not kill
it.
The leopard only hunts by day.
The leopard can climb trees.
The boa constrictor lies very still until it detects its prey.
The boa constrictor is a herbivore.
Which of these animals would you most fear?__________________________________
Explain
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