Have you ever wondered where to find animals? You might think of going to a park to see birds and squirrels, or maybe to the woods to spot some deer. Lakes are great for watching fish. But did you know that you are probably surrounded by animals right now? Not your pet dog or cat, but tiny creatures called micro animals!
Micro animals are so small that you need a microscope to see them. They are invertebrates, which means they don’t have a backbone like we do. These tiny creatures are amazing because they can survive in places where other animals can’t, like the deep ocean or even outer space!
Our first micro animal is the tardigrade, also known as the water bear. Tardigrades are often found in water droplets on plants called mosses. They eat green algae and bacteria. When they eat, they sometimes turn green because their bodies are see-through. Tardigrades are incredibly tough. They can live in boiling hot springs, under ice on tall mountains, and even survived in space for over 10 days without air or water!
Next, we have mites. They look like tiny insects but are actually related to spiders and ticks because they have eight legs. Mites live in many places, like soil, dead plants, and bird nests. There are about 50,000 different kinds of mites, and some even live on us! Eyelash mites live in tiny holes in our skin where eyelashes grow. They come out to eat bits of dead skin and hair, but don’t worry—they don’t bite or sting.
Finally, let’s meet the nematodes, also known as roundworms. Under a microscope, they look like round worms. Even though you might not have seen one, nematodes are everywhere! Scientists believe there are more nematodes on Earth than any other animal. They can live in mountains, deserts, hot or cold places, soil, and water. As long as there are bacteria to eat, nematodes will be there, even at the bottom of the ocean where it’s too tough for most animals.
Scientists study micro animals like tardigrades, mites, and nematodes because they are found everywhere and can teach us a lot about surviving in extreme places. There are still many tiny animals waiting to be discovered, so keep your microscope ready—you might find the next super cool micro animal!
If you want to learn more about animals, big or small, just let us know. Ask an adult to help you leave a comment or email us at kidscyshow.com. Thanks for reading, and see you next time!
