Animals are the living descendants of animals and they reproduce through a process called sexual reproduction. There are four major types of animals, each possessing unique characteristics which distinguish them from other animals. All animals belong to one of the following groups: Prototheria,plantae, metatheria, and unicellular animals. With the exception of insects, all other animals are eukaryotic, which means they are composed of an organism without a cell nucleus.
Animals reproduce differently than plants and even people. Plants reproduce both by seeds and through seeds which can be implanted in a host by asexually, as in an egg cell. Animals reproduce sexually through reproduction and sperm. Animals eat either meat or plant matter, breathe oxygen from the air, can move, can reproduce, and can live for a very long time. The primary producers of animals are cattle, horses, chicken, fish, and pigs. Humans eat meat from animals, breathe air, can move, reproduce, and eat plants, but we use animals to harvest food and make clothing.
People and animals co-exist in several ways. Humans allow animals to live on their land, because they provide food, cover, clothing, shelter, and transportation. Animals also help to create land. Through herding, herbivores draw plant seeds from the ground and fertilize it to increase the fertility of the land, resulting in a lush and fertile agricultural land.
Land must be cleared of brush and grass in order for wildlife to have access to it. Native animals herd animals on the land and, when the animals are over a certain weight, they push the soil and compact it, forming ditches and fields. Automobiles, trains, and other modes of transport are also created through the animals’ actions on the land. Trees help to shade animals and other vegetation, creating a habitat for the millions of wildlife species that roam freely throughout the United States.
People have taken advantage of the animals that exist in the wild, too. In fact, some people choose to live off the land by raising animals for food, and others use animals as farm animals, helping them to produce milk, eggs, and other products. People raise animals for their meat, milk, fur, or feathers, because these animals are farmed out for profit. Other people simply enjoy wild game, hunting, and fishing. Wildlife is becoming an endangered species, so helping nature preserve its habitat is very important.
Even though most people think of animals as creatures that eat, drink, and breed, wild animals serve a purpose in our lives. They are our guides, our protectors, and our friends. Without animals, our world would quickly become a dark and cruel place, as our natural habitats are destroyed. Wildlife should never be treated with neglect or as objects of entertainment.