The Armored Tanks of the Animal Kingdom
These animals of South America, which are called armadillos, have a very interesting appearance because of the armor covering their bodies. These creatures feed on insects and usually search for food by digging in the ground. Armadillos have a keen sense of smell. Perceiving the scent of food, the armadillo embeds its nose in the ground and quickly delves into it as if it were afraid of losing the scent. One might wonder how the armadillo manages to breathe while doing this. However, armadillos do not breathe at that moment. Indeed, they are capable of holding their breath for up to six minutes. This prevents them from choking while digging into the ground.
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As a result of this ability to hold their breath for a long time, which Allah bestowed on them, armadillos can dig into the ground and find their food. This example manifests Allah's mercy and compassion towards the living creatures that He created. In a verse in Surat ash-Shu‘ara’, Allah introduces Himself to us:
Truly your Lord is the Almighty, the Most Merciful. (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’: 9)
- Introduction
- The Compass in the Ant's Eye
- An Interesting Creature: The Nautilus
- Butterflies That Have a Knowledge of Physics
- The Male Catfish on Duty
- Luminescent Underwater Creatures
- The Sleeping Bag of the Parrotfish
- The Skillful Camouflage of the Scorpion Fish
- Interesting Features of Sea Horses
- Dragonflies: Flight Machines
- Secret Shelters in the Seas: Corals
- The Armored Tanks of the Animal Kingdom
- Migratory Birds That can Fly Even in the Dark of the Night
- The Noisy Cicada
- Cleaner Birds
- Pond Skaters That Walk on Water
- Tenacious Suckerfish
- Walking Fish with Red Lips
- The Structure of Birds' Feathers
- Birds' Techniques for Gliding
- The Water Bird That Cuts Through the Water Like Scissors