Animals That Live In Caves
They can use caves or grottos to hibernate during the winter, or also to sleep during the day. Animals that live in caves are also known as troglodytes or cave dwellers and have very special habits. Get to know them in depth in the following article.
Types and habits of animals that live in caves
Even though it is more common for invertebrates to live in caves, there may also be mammals, fish or reptiles that use caves as a habitat to develop.
Animals that live in caves can, perhaps, spend their entire lives inside (troglobites), or leave depending on the time of year or time of day (trogloxenes). Furthermore, it is necessary to differentiate the species that have the ability to survive both outside and inside a cave (troglophiles).
Why choose these places? Basically, because they offer them stable environmental conditions – temperature and humidity – they protect them from predators, allow them to sleep and rest without problems. In other words, they are the perfect places to have offspring, or because their organisms need darkness to survive.
Animals that live in caves have adapted their metabolisms and bodily systems to be able to inhabit these spaces with very little or no light. Some changed the color of their bodies, others lost their sight and we also found those who changed their diet.
Examples of cave animals
The following species have the ability to survive in a cave as a special feature:
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Brown bear
This carnivorous mammal originates from North America and Eurasia, and lives mainly in forests. It can live for 30 years and measure up to three meters. The brown bear’s color varies between light and dark brown. She changes her fur every summer and doesn’t have very developed eyesight, even though she can see colors at night.
Since he spends the winter hibernating, he chooses caves or caves to get a good sleep and without changing his body temperature. When you wake up, give birth to your children and raise them.
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weasel
This mammal that lives in Lucky America and Eurasia has a great hunting instinct and can shoot down prey up to 10 times its own weight. With a long body and small snout, large eyes and paws and a short tail, the weasel changes its fur in summer and lives in places far from humans. He prefers stone caves, but also chooses piles of firewood or fallen trees as a house.
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Texas blind salamander
It is an amphibian that lives in the caves of Texas, in the United States, and there are fewer and fewer specimens (approximately 100). It has no pigment in the skin, which is sensitive to underwater current changes. It can go months without eating and it has no eyes. It detects prey movement, its head is flat and it has bronchi to breathe in water.
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royal owl
This species of bird distributed throughout Africa, Asia and Europe can be found in different habitats such as temperate forests, tundra, steppes and semi-desert areas. It makes nests in caves, rocks and ancient nests of other birds. It is very territorial and lives alone, with the exception of the breeding season. It has a straight, flat flight, and your voice can be heard two miles away.
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Scorpion
There are about 1,400 species of scorpions. One of its main features is that its tail ends up in a curved shape for stinging, and with it oozes poison. In addition, it has arms that end in a pincer shape. They live in rocky or sandy terrain, underground and in caves that they make themselves. They are very fast and feed mainly on insects.
Source: PD-USGov
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Bat
Chiropters are mammals with wings. There are almost 110 species of these animals that live in caves, and they are present all over the world, with the exception of Antarctica. It is the only flying mammal and plays several ecological roles: insect pest controller, pollinator and seed spreader.
Most bats are insectivores and fruit eaters. They have nocturnal habits , and both their nose and ears allow them to emit and boost ultrasounds, find food and locate themselves. They live in crevices, fissures in rock walls, cuts in trees and also in attics or under bridges.
Main image source: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve.
