Bilfinger Berger Magazine 2/2008

ANIMAL RESOURCES …

… on land // In 10 minutes a camel can drink 150 liters of water—then drink no more for a fortnight. It stores the water in its stomach. In times of drought the edible snail has another strategy: It not only hibernates, if necessary it can sleep the summer through as well. It withdraws into its shell, slows down its metabolism and waits till the drought is over.

… in the water // The body of the electric eel is clad with electroplaques, originally muscles, which are capable of releasing electricity and amplify one another like batteries connected in series. In their native Amazon they use bursts of electricity to stun and kill both prey and predators up to 20 kilos in weight and 2.5 meters in length. They are also hazardous to humans: In a fraction of a second the electric eel can generate a charge of up to 600 volts.

… and in the air // The condor is the world’s largest vulture with a wingspan of up to 3.2 meters. It uses thermal activity in the Andes to spiral effortlessly to heights of up to 7,000 meters. Hunted by local farmers, only a few of these birds are left in the wild. The condor mainly eats carrion, but will on occasion also take the goats, calves and sheep that graze the mountain slopes. It is said to drive its prey into the abyss by beating its wings.

Bilfinger Berger Magazine 2/2008