A person, like many types of animals, just needs to eat food several times a day to maintain an energy balance that ensures the vitality of the body. People can live without food for long without harming the body.
But it is interesting that many people exhaust themselves with all kinds of diets in order to lose weight or gain an ideal figure. It is noteworthy that in the animal kingdom there are representatives who adhere to a diet or prefer only one type of food in their diet.
In our review, animals that can do without food for a long time:
1
Ticks
Let's start with the class of arachnids, namely ticks that live on all continents and have adapted to live in all climatic zones.
Ticks do not need solid nutrients and feed exclusively on blood. This is due to life development, warm blood, getting into the body of the tick, promotes the maturation of larvae.
Such a monotonous diet caused a lifestyle. Most of them parasitize on the human or animal body.
2
Cockroaches
Experts say that these insects are able to survive and retain the ability to reproduce even after a nuclear war. After all, they are the same age as the dinosaurs, which suggests that they have learned to survive in various conditions.
Cockroaches are omnivorous, and their stomachs are able to process any kind of food. But also they may not receive nutrients for 2 months, but do not drink only a week. At thebiggest.ru you can also find out about the largest cockroaches in the world.
3
Spiders
Hunting for insects, spiders learned for a long time to do without food, but they need moisture constantly.
For example, tarantulas in the steppe and desert zones may not eat up to 4 months, and spiders from the species Steatoda bipunctata may not eat for more than a year. This feature contributes to the survival of spiders in the most difficult conditions of the wild.
4
Horned tooth
The natives of Australia call this Breathtaking Barramund fish. Some species of these fish that live in slow rivulets may not eat for more than 4 years.
During a drought, when the rivers dry up, they burrow into the silt and survive only because they begin to digest their own tissues.
This ability of the horned teeth, which nature has endowed them with, provides them with a longer lifespan.
5
Frogs
Another amphibious inhabitants of the Earth have learned to rationally use energy. Frogs prefer to live in a humid environment, and therefore, with its changes, the lifestyle of frogs also changes.
In dry and hot periods, they hibernate, which in time can last up to 16 months. Some species can also save energy when freezing ponds, skillfully using accumulated nutrients to ensure vital functions.
We advise you to see: The largest frogs in the world.
6
Galapagos tortoise
As you know, turtles move very slowly. For example, the inhabitants of the Galapagos Islands move 0.25 kilometers per hour. Consequently, a minimum of energy is expended.
Turtles are known for their longevity. But not only this fact is surprising. To survive in long dry and hot periods, these turtles learned to do without food and drink for a whole year.
The body’s abilities are designed in such a way that nutrients are stored in the body for a long time, which helps maintain vitality.
7
American black bear
This inhabitant of the American continent, like his relatives in other parts of the world, learned to do without food for up to 100 days in the cold season.
But the bears are carefully preparing for this period in their lives. Before falling into the so-called hibernation, they are gaining weight intensively. Being omnivores, bears eat foods rich in carbohydrates, as well as proteins and fats.
The body of the bears has adapted to slow down the metabolism, which ensures its viability for a long time.
8
Camel
Both one-humped and two-humped camels have long been the only means of transportation in the desert. And if the drovers and caravaners could not live without food and drink, these desert ships adapted to survive in the difficult conditions of a hot and dry climate.
The hump of the animal contains fat, which, by splitting, helps the camel survive during long transitions. When burning, a significant part of the water is released, which is enough for the camel to do without food and water for more than 40 days.
9
Crocodiles
Dangerous predators that attack humans, adapted to live without food for 3-4 months.
They seem to hibernate during these long periods. In science, this process in crocodiles is called estination. But unlike animals that fall into suspended animation in winter areas, this happens in crocodiles in hot and dry climatic zones.
The purpose of this condition is to preserve the stored energy as long as possible, ensuring viability in the long periods between hunting.
10
Salmon
One of the most amazing species of fish. Salmon have adapted to live in both fresh and salt water. This feature has influenced the lifestyle of the inhabitant of the deep sea.
Going to spawn, salmon overcome thousands of kilometers, and it is during this period of their life that they remain without food. These movements sometimes drag on up to 9 months.
For this important event, fish are prepared very carefully, and eat hard to gain weight and stock up on nutrients that are enough. To overcome long distances.
11
Wolves
The whole life of a wolf goes in search of food. To survive, wolves must be constantly on the move.
But hunting is not always successful, so the wolf’s body is used to not getting food for several weeks. In captivity, wolves are enough 1-2 kg of food, as they receive it regularly. But in the wild, after a successful hunt, this animal can eat up to 9 kilograms, since the wolf does not know when to eat next time.
Here is a feature of lifestyle predetermined feature of a predator for a long time to survive without food.
12
Humpback whale
A mammal lives in the depths of the ocean, namely a humpback whale, which, like salmon, may not eat for a long period.
The fact is that whales migrate to warm waters for mating and breeding. In these long journeys, which drag on for weeks to come, the whales have enough energy available during the preceding migration period.
Eating in the summer up to 2 tons of food per day, they store these reserves in their body, and then rationally use it during the transition for 4–5 months.
13
Snakes
These cold-blooded reptiles cannot control the temperature of their own bodies, so in the cold periods they adapted to regulate the metabolism.
In a state of peculiar hibernation, the consumption of energy by snakes decreases sharply, which provides them with the ability to do without food for up to 1 year.
During these periods, many types of snakes burrow deep into the earth, and energy consumption is reduced to 70%. But pythons, after having had a solid lunch with large prey, may not hunt for a whole year and feel great.
To summarize
Indeed, some wildlife facts are surprising and seem unbelievable. Nature, as a caring mother, taught many species to preserve themselves.
As you can see, many animals simply adapted to conditions and places where there is a significant shortage of food and moisture. During evolution, they developed the ability to do without food and drink for a long time. These abilities help to survive and maintain the population of the species. TheBiggest editors ask you to leave comments on this article.
Article author: Valery Skiba