What is Animal Shelter?
A shelter is a place where animals stay and protect themselves. All the animals make their own homes in the jungles. Carnivorous animals like lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, etc live in caves. Herbivore animals like cows, buffaloes, sheep, and rabbits are generally domestic animals.
The shelter of these animals is being provided by their owners. People are giving importance to animal welfare as well by giving these animals a place to live. Omnivorous animals like crows, dogs, bears, cats, etc., make their own place for shelter as well.
Animals and their Shelters
Aquatic animals like fish, whales, sharks, etc. stay in the water bodies for protection and breathing purposes. Amphibians like frogs, crocodiles, and turtles, also make their own place of shelter to live. All of these animals try to find the most suitable shelter for themselves as well as their babies and eggs.
Importance of Animal Shelters
This can also be an answer to the question why do animals need shelters?
Reproduction
Reproduction is one of the reasons animals find shelter. The eggs and small babies need a roof for protection from other wild and weather conditions. As the babies and eggs are in a vulnerable state, the mother ensures the proper protection of their kids. Every animal ensures the full safety of its babies before giving birth. They make a safe shelter for their kids and eggs to protect them from everything. The babies being small cannot bear the outside environment so the animals need shelter so that their babies can stay alive.
Weather Conditions
As India has three extreme seasons, named: Summer Season, Winter Season, and Rainy Season. These weather conditions make it difficult for the animals to adjust to the dense forests. This becomes the main reason behind them finding a place to live and hide during these conditions.
In the winter season, the animals need protection from extreme weather conditions. Cold winds, snow, and ice might be harmful to some kinds of animals as well as their babies. That's why the animals need shelter and make their own place to live.
In the summer season, the animals need protection from the scorching sun. Heat waves, sweat, and extreme heat can be dangerous for a lot of animals. Animals need shelter to protect themselves from the summer season.
The rainy season offers heavy rains, lightning, and storms. Animals need shelter in the rainy season as well. They need protection from heavy rainfall and storms.
Animals and their Shelters
Food
Animals keep extra food in their shelter for future purposes. Sometimes while having food, some extra food remains so they keep that food safe in their shelter and prevent them from being rotten.
Protection From Other Wild Animals
Animals also need shelter to protect themselves from other wild animals. As wild animals are always on the hunt, the shelter protects them from getting killed. All the animals keep their babies as well as food safe from other wild animals.
Shelter of Animals Chart
Summary
There are various reasons why animals need their own shelter like protection, reproduction, etc. There are some animals who build their own houses to live in. Some animals just find caves and rocks living under them in order to get protected. Some of the places are called dens, sheds, stables, nests, burrows, etc. These shelters of the animal charts are their protectors from extreme weather conditions and wild animals. In this article, we learned about what is animal shelter and why they need them in this article. We also discussed different types of animals and their shelters.
FAQs on Why do Animals Need Shelter?
1. Why is a shelter important for an animal?
A shelter is crucial for an animal’s survival. It provides protection from harsh weather conditions like extreme heat, cold, rain, and wind. It also serves as a safe place to hide from predators and to rest, sleep, and raise their young securely.
2. Can you give some examples of homes that animals build for themselves?
Yes, many animals are excellent builders. For example:
- Birds build nests using twigs, grass, and mud.
- Rabbits dig underground burrows.
- Lions find and live in dens, which are often caves.
- Bees construct a hive to live in as a colony.
- Spiders spin intricate webs which also help catch their food.
3. Why don't all animals live in the same type of shelter?
Animals live in different types of shelters because their needs are different. The design of a shelter depends on the animal's size, diet, environment, and the enemies it has. For instance, a bird's nest is high up in a tree to keep its eggs safe from ground animals, while an ant's underground colony protects it from larger insects and the heat of the sun.
4. Do all animals build their own homes?
No, not all animals build their own homes from scratch. Some animals are very resourceful and use shelters that are already available. For example, some birds look for existing holes in trees, a bear might use a cave for hibernation, and a hermit crab famously uses an empty shell left by another creature as its portable home.
5. How are the shelters for domestic animals, like cows or dogs, different from those of wild animals?
The main difference is that wild animals must find or build their own shelters in nature, like a burrow or a den. In contrast, domestic animals are usually given man-made shelters by humans. For example, cows live in a shed, horses in a stable, and pet dogs in a kennel. These shelters are designed to keep them safe, clean, and comfortable, with easy access to food and water provided by people.
6. What is the main purpose of an animal welfare shelter?
An animal welfare shelter, or a rescue centre, is a safe place for animals that are homeless, lost, sick, or have been mistreated. Its main purpose is to provide these animals with basic needs like food, water, a safe place to live, and medical attention. The staff and volunteers work to care for the animals and help them find loving new families to adopt them.
7. How does a shelter help an animal raise its young?
A shelter is vital for raising young because baby animals are often helpless and vulnerable. A secure nest, den, or burrow hides the young from predators and protects them from bad weather. It provides a stable environment where the parents can feed and care for their offspring until they are strong enough to survive on their own.
