Extreme Biology

Everything about a sea lion's body developed to make it a better hunter. Its aerodynamic shape, strong flippers, and ability to close its nostrils to remain underwater longer all contribute to this deep-sea predator. What are they hunting for? A lobster dinner! With detailed examples and full-color photographs, this volume takes on an important curriculum concept-food chains-in an engaging, fun way. Readers discover some of the violent, strange, and extraordinary eating of animals in habitats all around the world.

The Australian Christmas tree has lovely orange flowers, but don't be fooled by its pretty exterior. Once fully grown, this tree reaches its roots hundreds of feet out to grab surrounding plants' roots. It then takes the water and nutrients that plant needs to grow! It's not the only deadly plant. From lilies' ability to kill cats to the huge thorns of the whistling thorn acacia, killer plants are found all over the world. Full-color photographs and detailed, understandable text present the oddities of these extreme plants to readers. They'll never look at a garden the same way again!

Over time, the traits and actions that are best suited to prolonging animals' lives in a place are passed down, making them just normal parts of life. Migration, hibernation, stripes, and even the shape of a bird's beak are all adaptations to the environment an animal lives in. Through a colorful layout and up-close photographs, this volume introduces readers to some of the coolest adaptations in the animal kingdom, including how kangaroos keep cool by licking themselves and letting the moisture evaporate. Sidebars offer extra science content and fascinating facts to keep readers engaged throughout.

Some places on Earth have very little rain. The Arctic and Antarctic are bitterly cold, and parts of the ocean have become devoid of oxygen. Yet Earth remains populated with varied plants and animals even in these horrible habitats! Readers are introduced to unique plants and animals that can exist in places most others can't. Photographs show off the salt-loving mangrove trees, the incredibly hot Atacama Desert, and more in full color. These interesting examples engage readers with science content in a fun way that also exposes them to extreme places and creatures they might not otherwise learn about.

Male sea horses take on a role few other male animals do; they give birth! The female sea horse lays her eggs in a pouch on the male's body where they will grow for 25 days. Despite the care male sea horses take with their eggs, less than five babies in 1,000 will survive to adulthood. The bizarre and extreme life of the sea horse is just one illustration of the varied life cycles in nature from beginning to end. Full-color photographs and detailed sidebars offer readers a close look at some of the weird and wonderful ways animals are born, live, reproduce, and battle to survive.

The strange bodies animals have developed over time are endlessly fascinating. The hammerhead shark's odd head may look strange, but it helps the shark see all around itself. The ugly face of the puss moth caterpillar helps keep predators away, and the scorpion's deadly tail can do some damage despite how bizarre it may look. Many questions readers may have about some of the most extreme animal anatomy can be answered in this volume, which includes up-close photographs of some pretty dangerous animals as well as thorough explanations of why they look the way they do.