Diet of Animals

Animals differ in their diets.

Some eat mainly plants or plant materials

and are called herbivores e.g. cow, sheep,
and parrot.

Animals that eat other animals or flesh are

called carnivores e.g. tiger and alligator.

Animals that eat both plants and

animals are called omnivores e.g. humans
and rats.

Each animal is suited to its type of diet.

Herbivores have flat teeth mainly for
cutting and grinding.

Most carnivores have sharp, pointed teeth

for tearing or ripping. Some have
sharp claws or curved beaks for gripping
and trapping.

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Omnivores have flat, sharp teeth for cutting,
pointed canines for tearing and flat back
teeth for grinding.

Animals with and without backbones.

Some animals have a chain of bones running

down the centre of the back called its
backbone.

Each bone is called a vertebra. Such

animals are called vertebrates e.g. human,
dog, fowl, snake, frog, patwa.

Animals that do not have a backbone are

called invertebrates e.g. ant, butterfly, snail,
worm, mosquito.

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Functions of the main parts of a plant

A plant has five main parts.

The functions of the five main parts of

plants are:

Root keeps the plant firmly in the soil

Stem holds up the leaves and other parts

Leaf makes food for the plant

Flower produces a fruit

Fruit produces a seed or seeds. The

seed usually produces a new plant.

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Conditions necessary for germination.

A seed germinates into a seedling or young

plant. For this to happen the seed needs
water, air and warmth.

The water is sometimes referred to as

moisture and the warmth is a little
heat.

Seeds will not germinate without water, air

and a suitable temperature.

Some life processes of plants.

Seeds germinate into seedlings. As seedlings

grow they need light, water and air to make
their food and keep alive.

Seedlings grow into mature plants. As

this happens the seedlings develop

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more leaves. They will later produce flowers
which will develop into fruits containing one
or more seeds.

Some common plants and animals and

their specific homes.

Living things, that is, plants and

animals, live on land, in water and in
the air. However, some living things live in
specific places.

Among plants, the water lily, water lettuce

and water hyacinth for example, live only
in water.

The bird vine lives only on plants.

Among animals, the hassar, tilapia and

manatee, for example, live only
in water.

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Ants and termites (wood ants) live on land.

Interdependence of plants and animals.

Plants and animals depend upon each other.

Many animals depend upon plants for their
food. Some animals also eat other animals.

Plants also provide shelter or serve as a

home for animals, for example, nests for
birds.

The bird-vine, a plant, lives on other plants

as a parasite.

Ticks, fleas, lice and mosquitoes live on

animals as parasites.

Parasites get food or shelter from their hosts.

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Food chains

Living things depend on each other for food.

When one living thing is eaten by another

living thing, a food chain is formed.

A food chain may include more than two

living things, one feeding on the other.