Animal Noses
A Fish Nose
Even though fish have nostrils, these are not used for breathing. Fish breathe by gulping water through their mouth which then passes through the gills. The gills can take in up to 95% of the oxygen contained in the water that passes through them. Only some fish have lungs. If the water is muddy or stagnant, then fish need to surface to gulp air. Other fish such as the mud-skipper have the capabilities of breathing out of the water, and it doesn’t even have lungs!
A Frogs Nose
A tadpole does not have a nose as such. It breathes like a fish, gulping in water with their mouth and nostrils which then passes through gills. Once an adult, the frog breathes with its lungs, like humans. Acting like valves, the frogs’ nostrils close when the mouth is full of air, allowing the frog to drive air into the lungs via the throat.
The Alligators Nose
The alligators’ nose sits on top of their snout, allowing them to breathe through the nostrils while the remainder of their body lies almost entirely under water.
A Turtles Nose
Like alligators, these amphibians have nostrils and need to come up to the surface of the water in order to breathe. They do not have protruding structures like humans.
A Birds Nose
Although birds do not have noses, they are able to breath through nostrils, usually located at the upper base of their beak. When air is inhaled, it first passes through the bird’s air sacs, which keep the lungs inflated even when the bird exhales. This enables birds to fly and breathe in higher altitudes where the air is thin.
A Dogs Nose
Being at least 100 times more sensitive than a human nose, dogs’ olfactory senses are incredibly accurate and powerful. People have put dogs’ sense of smell to great use including locating missing persons, sniffing out illegal substances at airports and tracking down escapees.
A Tapirs Nose
This gorgeous creature uses its floppy convex trunk to find and tear off appetizing leaves in a dense forest. It also has a very strong sense of smell.
The Polar Bears Nose
The world’s larges predator, like all mammals, has an incredibly sensitive nose for hunting. This sophisticated hunter has the ability to smell its prey hiding under the ice.
The Anteater Nose
Built to dig through insect nests, the long pointed nose gives the anteater great ability to seek out insects. Once it has penetrated a nest, the anteater can locate its food inside with its nose and lick up the insects.
An Elephants Nose
The elephants’ top lip merges into their trunks. The trunk has several purposes including breathing through nostrils at the tip, pulling down tall branches for food and picking up small grains and nuts.
As you can see, there are several types of noses in the animal kingdom, each designed to accomplish their special purpose. The sensitive noses of mammals compensate for some of these animals’ lack of sight. The nostrils of water creatures such as hippos, dolphins and alligators are made to stick out of the surface of the water, allowing them the luxury of staying mostly under water for keeping cool and camouflaged. Whatever the function needed to be served, nature has created the perfect design tailored to suit the animals’ habitat, food and environment.