The Pebble Toad’s Survival Tactic
In The Pebble Toad’s Survival Tactic, narrator Sir David Attenborough introduces the tiny pebble toad from Venezuela that's smaller than a stamp! Living high in the rocks, it faces a unique danger — a toad-eating tarantula. Like the waterfall toad, the pebble toad can’t jump far enough to escape, so it uses a clever trick: it free-falls down the rocks, making its body stiff like a rubber ball, bouncing safely to the ground! This video is excerpted from BBC's Life, a show that explores the remarkable strategies animals and plants use to ensure their survival.
Lesson Express
Q: Why is the pebble toad's ability to bounce down rocks such an effective defense against predators like the tarantula?
A: It makes it hard for the tarantula to catch it. By turning its body rigid and bouncing like a rubber ball, the toad avoids being captured, and its lightweight body allows it to survive the fall without injury.
Q: How does the pebble toad’s defense strategy demonstrate the importance of adaptation in survival?
A: The pebble toad’s ability to bounce down rocks shows how animals adapt to their specific environments to survive. Since it cannot jump or hop away from predators, it developed a unique way to escape that works with its tiny size and lightweight body, helping it thrive in its rocky, dangerous habitat.
Q: What do you think would happen if the pebble toad didn’t have the ability to bounce or free-fall? How might this affect its survival?
A: Without the ability to bounce or free-fall, the pebble toad would likely be an easy target for predators like the tarantula. Its lack of jumping ability would make it unable to escape quickly, and it might not survive in its dangerous environment.