Reptilia vs Amphibia!

Toads have a very special defense mechanism to escape being

eaten- the pair pf parotid glands at the back of their heads 

produces poison! This liquid called Bufotoxin (Bufonidae is the

zoological name for the toad family) is produced when a toad

is in stress, and its potency varies from species to species. 

Although Bufotoxin is lethal to some animals, several predators of 

toads are immune to the poison, and manage to make a merry 

meal out of their warty prey.

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A Spitting Cobra's Nightmare!

Spitting cobras have a unique adaptation. Whenever the snake is cornered by a predator such as a mongoose, a bird of prey, or any inquisitive large animal, it 'spits' venom from its fangs straight into the eyes of the predator with pin-point accuracy! The venom causes a burning sensation and even temporary blindness and forces the predator to retreat.

The Troubled Tusker

Water pollution during the Ganesh festival has been reaching alarming levels of late. Huge idols made of Plaster of Paris and coloured in toxic chemicals are immersed into both inland water bodies and seas. It doesn't end there; this is usually accompanied with a lot of food, flowers, offal and plastic wastes being dumped into the water. Aquatic life has suffered gravely at the hands of Indian festivals. Although several groups have emerged that practise eco-friendly idol making and immersion, a complete switch must be made from P.O.P to biodegradable materials urgently to prevent further aquatic hazards.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.