Page 37 - Never Plead Ignorance

HARUN YAHYA 35

1/20th of a second. When we consider that one second is just as long as
the blink of an eye, the incredible speed of the snake is better understood.
The rattlesnake, finding the location of its prey without error, attacks and
kills it with its poisonous teeth. 11
Sea otters comb their fur with their feet, a method they employ to
clean and groom their fur with the oil made in their skin. This operation
is a unique way of airing the fur since it enables tiny bubbles of air to be
trapped by the thick underfur. In the freezing cold of the Pacific, the air
bubble-holding capacity of the fur has an essential role in the perfect
adaptation the sea otter has to unfavourable weather conditions. These
bubbles simply protect sea otters against freezing. Matting of the sea ot-
ter's hair – usually caused by fuel waste products – simply means death. 12
The Wedel seal can survive in the freezing waters of the Antarctic,
even when the temperature drops below –26°C. It is not affected by in-
tense and sudden changes of pressure when it dives to the bottom of the
ocean, since before a deep dive, the seal makes several short dives.
Opening and closing its rib bones and diaphragm, it lets out the air in its
lungs and closes its lungs. After a while, when no air is left in the lungs,
nitrogen does not dissolve and loses all possibility of entering the blood-
stream. This is a process that enables the animal to survive. Contrary to
the majority of mammals, seals have a flat oval-shaped trachea, rather
than a round one, which easily closes under high pressure. Such a struc-
ture grants the seal perfect adaptation to
its environment. 13
During the day, the heart of a
hummingbird beats between 500
and 1,200 times a minute. In the
evening, its heartbeat slows down
so much that its throb is virtually
undetectable. Nor does the bird

A sea otter, protecting itself against
the freezing cold of the Pacific by a
special method.