THE DEFENSIVE CRAB: THE HERMIT

There are many interesting creatures living in the seas. These creatures mostly defend themselves by the most unusual methods. Hermit crabs, for instance, use live weapons to protect themselves from octopuses and other enemies. There is a type of vegetation that exists at the bottom of the ocean. The hermits collect these plants and put them on top of their shells. The reason for this is that these plants have thorns that are painful to the touch. In this way, the hermits protect themselves from their predators. Do not forget that hermit crabs could not have thought of such a brilliant plan all on their own. Allah has taught them how to protect themselves.

BOOBY, THE BIRD THAT SWIMS

Boobies are birds that dive into water from great heights, and they have webs between their toes. Allah has given them this flipper type of foot especially, so that they can swim on the surface and in the depths of the sea. Boobies dive as well. They dive into the sea to catch fish and they remain under the water to swim long distances.

DO FISH FLY?

Flying fish don't fly with wings like birds, but they slide on fins that resemble a bird's wings. They travel about 56 kilometres (35 miles) in an hour. These small fish can move faster in water by spreading their fins and lifting their tails out of the water. In this way, they slide swiftly in water.

THE HERON

The heron displays great skill in catching fish. It stands up spreading its wings in an umbrella shape above its head. This produces a shadow and prevents reflections from the surface of the water. Now, the heron can clearly see its prey under the surface of the water. The wings of the bird form a circular shadow on the water's surface, and it always fishes inside this circle.

THE OSTRICH

The ostrich is a bird that runs extremely fast. It can run at speeds of up to 70 kilometres (45 miles) per hour. The ostrich has only two toes on each of its feet, and one of these toes is much larger than the other one. The uniqueness of the ostrich is its ability to run only on its big toe.

THE POLAR BEAR

The polar bear can run very fast on ice with his levelled, hairy claws and non-slippery soles. Polar bears, with their thick furs, have a very important protector in such cold polar weather. A 10 cm (4 inch) thick layer of fat prevents the cold from affecting them. This is why they can swim in icy cold waters with speeds of 10-11 km/hour (7 miles/hour), for distances of about 2000 km. (1250 miles). Allah has created polar bears, like penguins, so that they can survive in such cold habitats, and He has positioned them in the coldest parts of earth, at the poles, the polar bear at the North Pole and the penguin at the South Pole.

Allah has also given polar bears a very strong sense of smell. Their sense of smell is so acute that they can easily pick up the smell of a seal hiding beneath 1,5 metres (1,6 yards) of snow.
In addition, it has an extra eyelid that is like a membrane. This membrane acts as "a pair of sunglasses" and protects them against snow-blindness.