Earth is the home to many animals. There are so many species of animals in the world. They are
man’s companion. Animals have various species. The entire animal world may be classified into
five types. They are amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds, and insects. The animals that live both
on land and in water have moist skin and no scales on body are called amphibians. The toad and the
frog are the two good examples of amphibians.The animals having cold blood, scaly body and needing
to be in the sun for a long period of time are called reptiles.The two most common examples of
reptiles are the snake and the crocodile.The mammal is an animal that has warm blood and hairy
body. It breast-feeds its young. The cow, the lion and man are some of the good examples of this
type.Birds have wings, beaks, and can fly. The parrot and the crow are some examples of birds.
Bees and mosquitoes are called insects. The body of an insect has three parts – the head, the
thorax and the abdomen. It has six legs, but no backbone. It can also fly like the bird.
Animals help our environment. They provide nutrition to the soil, and they are a source of food.
Predatory animals like lions and tigers help to control the animal population. They help in
agriculture as well. However, animals face the threat of extinction. Man cuts down many forests
to build homes and factories while animals lose their home. Hunters torture animals and kill them
for leather, fur, and ivory. Caging animals and keeping them away from their habitat affects their
well-being. Water bodies polluted with harmful substances affect the animals that live in water.
We need to protect animals because the Earth is not just our home; it belongs to them as well.
They are the faithful companions of man. Every year we celebrate the 3rd of March as World Wildlife
Day to spread the message of protecting our animals.
