English Vocabulary in Use - 32 The animal kingdom

mammal

animal that gives birth to live babies, not eggs, and feeds them on its own milk

marsupial

its young grow in a pouch in front of the mother

pouch

a bag or a sack

rodent

an animal with sharp teeth for gnawing, like a rat or mouse

reptile

e.g. snake, lizard

carnivore

animal that eats a diet that is mainly or exclusively meat

herbivore

animal that eats a diet that is mainly or exclusively grass/vegetation

predator

animal that hunts and eats other animals

scavenger

animal that feeds on dead animals which it has not killed itself

warm/cold blooded

warm-blooded animals (e.g. mammals) have temperatures that stay the same; cold-blooded animals (e.g. reptiles) have to control their temperature by taking in heat from outside or by being very active

docile

behaves very gently

tame

not afraid of humans, usually because of training or long involvement with humans

domesticated

live with or are used by humans

wild

opposite of domesticated

savage

extremely violent or wild

fierce

behaves aggressively

natural habitat

preferred natural place for living and breeding

migration

when animals travel long distances to get to a different habitat

dodo

was a large flightless bird and became extinct

became extinct

died out

game reserves / game parks

areas of land where animals are protected from hunting

bird sanctuary

protected natural area where birds can live and breed

animal rescue shelter

place where
stray cats, dogs, etc., i.e. pets that have lost their home are given food and a place to live

stray

wander from a direct course or at random

blood sports

sports whose purpose is to kill or injure animals

the fur trade

the selling of animal furs for coats, jackets, etc.

poachers

people who hunt or fish illegally

the ivory trade

the buying and selling of ivory from elephants' tusks

animal rights activist

people who actively campaign for the protection and rights of animals

horn

hard pointed, often curved, part growing from the head of an animal