How Do Pink Flamingos Defend Themselves?
Flamingos are easily recognizable, but they certainly don't look very sturdy. How do they avoid becoming prey in the wild?
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Natural Habitat
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Flamingos are aquatic birds living near water and feeding from it. They live in Southern Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. Their beaks are uniquely designed to filter out brine shrimp from other material as they "graze" in the water. Their pink coloring is not natural, but rather comes from elements of their diets. Flamingos in captivity will not be the vibrant pink they are in the wild unless their diet is supplemented with shrimp.
Threats
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Flamingos have few natural enemies. Because of their aquatic nature, they are most vulnerable to attack by predators such as crocodiles. Humankind, is also a substantial threat. Some Andeans believe that the fat of the flamingo is curative for tuberculosis, putting some South American flamingo populations at risk.
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Defenses
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The flamingo has only one natural defense, and that is escape. At the first sign of danger, a flamingo will take flight, and all the other birds of the flock will follow suit, taking to the sky. This makes them difficult targets for natural predators.
Other Perils
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Like any animal, flamingos also face danger from changes to their environment, corruption and scarcity of food sources and destruction of habitat.
Prognosis
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Flamingo populations are considered at risk in various areas of the world at this time. While no flamingos are listed as endangered or threatened, there are areas where their survival is not assured. However, their simple and effective defense will help ensure that flamingos will survive.
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