Animal Inventors

In fact, many of the tools we use everyday were inspired by animal survival techniques. Ask yourself the questions below, then check your answers. Then see how many natural inventions you can think of from the plant and animal kingdoms!

Who invented the crash helmet?

Woodpeckers fly around the forest and band their heads against trees hundreds of times each day without ever getting a headache! Out at IslandWood we have pileated woodpeckers, the largest species in North America. In order to reach the bugs and grub they love to each, these 19-inch birds use their beaks to chisel away at dead trees in the forest. Their crash helmets consist of fatty tissue that pads their brains and runs down their neck to their shoulders. They also have a similar pad, about the thickness of a dime, at the base of their bill.

Who invented the wet suit?

Mammals who live in the ocean are warm-blooded creatures just like us, and they need to keep their warmth inside while swimming in the chilly waters of Puget Sound. Whales, seals, and sea lions are insulated from the cold by a thick layer of fat called blubber that keeps the cold out and their body heat in. Mammals from other parts of the world, such as hippos and manatees use the same trick.

Who invented long underwear?

Birds need to stay warm and dry, even in the cold and wet weather of our fall and winter. In order to do this, they use the very best natural insulator in the animal kingdom - down feathers. Down feathers are small and soft and grow close to the bird's skin. They are just like the ones in a sleeping bag or ski jacket fluff up to hold the cold air away from the bird's skin and allow it to keep its body heat inside. Of course, down feathers only stay fluffy and warm if they remain dry. So, nature also invented a solution to that problem - bird's feathers work like the shingles on your roof to shed the water and keep the down and the bird nice and dry.

Who invented safety goggles?

Snakes have no eyelids, so they can't blink or close their eyes to protect them. Instead, some snakes, such as the garter snake, which we sometimes see on IslandWood site, have specially adapted scales that completely cover and protect their eyes! Keep your eyes open for shed snake skins when you're outside. If you look closely, you'll see that snakes shed their goggles along with the rest of their skin as they grow. And of course, they grow a completely new pair of goggles along with their new skin.