Teamwork makes the dream work. That dream, in the animal kingdom, would be survival! Some creatures go about life alone, while others have to forge partnerships with others in order to thrive.
Species team up for all kinds of reasons: sharing resources, fending off predators, cleaning each other up, that kind of thing! That’s what the word ‘symbiosis’ means – a mutually beneficial relationship! A win-win situation!
Take a look at the remarkable partnerships that just make you rethink what it means to work together!
1. Cleaner Wrasse
Need a marine-style high-end spa treatment? These fish have your back (literally)! They’re industrious little swimmers who have set up shop in coral reefs. Guess what they offer: a cleaning service!
Sharks, groupers, and other giants line up for this business. The Cleaner Wrasse nibbles away their dead skin, parasites, and any other debris. Business is going well, and that’s the best part!
2. Oxpecker Bird
Imagine this: a rhino casually grazing in a savannah. And on its back? A little bird, riding shotgun! That’s the life of an Oxpecker bird. For them, luxury lies in tick-chomping and parasite-munching of larger animals.
I would call this pretty resourceful! Large mammals like zebras and rhinos get clean, while Oxpecker birds leave with a full stomach – and they get a free ride!
3. Acacia Ants
Tucked away in the hollow thorns of the African acacia tree, you’ll find a little miracle. Colonies of fierce ants form a secret little alliance with the tree!
For the ants, the thorny home is quite the safe haven. And in return? They serve as the tree’s bodyguard! The ants immediately gather up and are ready to fight any herbivores that dare to feast on the tree’s leaves!
4. Clownfish
Nemo got it right – clownfish have found the free room in the ocean’s grandest communal home! Which home, you may ask? The sea anemone, of course!
Clownfish are safely tucked in within the venomous tentacles, so they are protected from predators! All while they enjoy a supply of food!
This relationship isn’t one-sided, though! Clownfish can also serve as living bait for the anemone host to get some nourishment, too!
5. Honeyguide Bird
Imagine having your very own bird guide that leads you to a hidden treasure of delicious honey! Well, that’s the life of average honey hunters in Africa. All thanks to this little birdie!
Honeyguides are quite smart! They have figured out that humans can get to honey which is stored deep inside the hives of wild bees. Now, the birds themselves can’t really reach that honey. That’s a problem!
But they have a solution! They lead the bee hunters to the hives. Then, the hunters take the honey out for them, and bam – they nom!
6. Remora Fish
The ocean can be quite harsh and lonely for fish. How does a little Remora fishy solve that problem? Well, they use their suction cups to hitchhike on the bodies of sharks, rays, or other sea animals!
The ride isn’t free, though! In exchange, remoras keep their hosts clean by eating parasites off their bodies.