There are 54 different species of seahorses which are named after their horse-like shape. Due to a shortage of evidence, little information is known about the reproductive rates, population and preserving state of these animals. However, judging from the ever-changing climate, there is a higher possibility that their population has reduced because of the smaller habitats. Millions of seahorses are killed yearly for the traditional medicine trade. Another big threat is that many seahorses are caught together with the starfish which are dried and sold to tourists as souvenirs(纪念品).

Seahorses have an appearance of horse-like heads and necks. They also show the unique skill of swimming upright and use their fins to control themselves. Unlike most other fishes, a seahorse has a bent tail like a fishing hook. So they are poor swimmers and one of the slowest swimming fish in the world. They often circle their tails around something to rest.

Seahorses are mainly found in sheltered areas such as seagrass beds and river-mouths to ocean. Males stay within an 11 square feet of habitat while females live over large areas, hundred times this size.

During mating, the male seahorse uses its central, front-facing bag on the side of the tail to hold over 1,500 eggs for a period of 9 to 45 days. Once the young seahorses mature(成熟), they are let out into the water to live for themselves. Seahorses do not take care of the young ones after birth. Therefore, a variety of animals and strong waves can kill babies.

The seahorses use excellent cheating skills and patience as tools to kill little animals such as some shrimps, small fish and other creatures. During feeding, they produce a special click. Similar sounds can also be heard during social activities.

Unknown to many Americans perhaps, the Japanese are huge fans of racing. They crowd racetracks throughout the country, especially near major cities like Tokyo. The country has some of the finest breeding farms and racehorses in the world.

Japanese racehorse and Japanese racing success has increased dramatically. While Japan is enjoying its new success in racing, it was not always or need not always be that way. The idea that effort is greater than outcome extends to horseracing. There is no finer example of this than the near-legendary story of Haru Urara, a horse whose name means “Glorious Spring”, but whose racing career was anything but glorious.

Haru Urara was born in 1996. Her father was NippoTeio, a highly successful racehorse whose wins included Tokyo’s famous horseracing competition of Yasuda Kinen, and whose mother was named Heroine. Her great-great-great grandfather was Canada’s famed Northern Dancer, considered the foundational sire of North American Thoroughbred racehorses.

Her owner NobutoBokulo tried to sell her when she was young and was surprisingly unsuccessful. So, with seemingly wonderful racing bloodlines, he trained her to race.

She started her racing career with a fifth-and last-place finish on Nov.17, 1998 at Kochi Racetrack on the Japanese island of Shikoku. Of course, it is not unusual for a new racehorse to finish poorly in a first outing. What followed, however, was definitely unusual.

An iron horse, Haru Urara raced as often as twice a month over the next four and a half years-and never won a single race. By 2003, her losing record totaled 80 and that is when her story was picked up by media in Japan and eventually around the world. People respected the fact that, while she never won, she ran with all her heart. The “Haru Urara Boom” as it came to be known touched even the most unrelated areas of Japanese life.

Lions are opportunists. They prefer to eat without having to do too much work. When resting in the shade, they are also watching the sky to see what is flying by, and even in the heat of the day they will suddenly start up and run a mile across the plains to find out what is going on. If another animal has made a kill, they will drive it off and take the dill for themselves. A grown lion can easily eat 60 pounds of meat at a single feeding. Often they eat until it seems painful for them to lie down.

The lionesses (母狮) , being thinner and faster, are better hunters (猎手) than the males (雄狮). But the males don’t mind. After the kill they move in and take the test share.

Most kills are made at night or just before daybreak. We have seen many, many daylight attempts but only ten kills. Roughly, it’s about twenty daytime attempts for one kill.

When lions are hiding for an attack by a water hole, they wait patiently and can charge at any second. The kill is the exciting moment in the day-to-day life of the lion, since these great animals spend most of their time, about 20 hours a day, sleeping and resting.

Lions are social cats, and when they are having a rest, they love to touch each other. After drinking at a water hole, a lioness rests her head on another’s back. When walking, young lions often touch faces with older ones, an act of close ties among members of the group.

A．are cruel animals

B．are clever animals

C．like to take advantage of other animals

D．like to take every chance to eat