The complexity and detail, the structure of every living thing is astounding. Each new personal discovery produces a broader appreciation and respect for nature, such as knowing how many species have specialized defense mechanisms. This innate ability develops over time through adaptation. Adaptations are changes in an organism's physiological structure, function, or habits that allow it to survive in a new environment. Animals use many weapons to escape danger. These include camouflage, deception in the form of mimicry, chemical combat, and appearing injured or playing dead. I had heard of birds feigning a broken wing in order to lure intruders away from their nest. After what seemed like eons of waiting, this behavior finally manifested itself in a neglected pasture littered with tansy, male thistles, and piles of ancient, petrified horse manure. The kite had been shouting its shrill warning for some time when suddenly it appeared with its wing crooked, looking quite broken. Mesmerized, I watched as the intrepid mother valiantly attempted to lure me away from her nearby nest. While many species have defensive weapons at their disposal, others, like the monarch butterfly, go to great lengths to survive predation. The adult moth lays its eggs on milkweed leaves. After hatching, the caterpillars feed on milkweed, which contains a poison called cardenolides, or cardiac glycosides, toxic to almost all vertebrates. The monarch stores this bitter-tasting chemical throughout its transformations, from larva to pupa to adult. Just one attempt at lunch with a monarch is enough to teach a hungry predator to avoid the bright colors of monarch caterpillars and butterflies. No wonder many other ...... middle of paper ...... nisms are harder to locate, meaning predators often become frustrated and give up. As environments and conditions change, the organisms that live in them must change as well. Developing defensive mechanisms such as mimicry, camouflage and chemical combat increases the chances of survival. Adaptation is necessary for organisms to survive predation. "Adaptation is not a limitation. It means the power of resistance and assimilation." - Mahatma Gandhi Come read about adaptation Made to eat vegetation; Or even more horrible is the story of those who chewed other people's tails. Look at your hand, then your thumb; a dinosaur wasn't that stupid; just like your hand, its claw worked well for grabbing, pushing, climbing, or killing. – Author unknown