Glossary

Adaptations — changes made to make an animal better suited to a particular environment or task.

Agitated — excited, annoyed or disturbed.

Antivenin — a medicine that can undo the effects of venom.

Barb — a triangular point shaped like an arrowhead.

Camouflage — camouflage is how animals blend in with their environment to help them hide from predators or prey.

Carnivore — an animal that eats only meat.

Convulsions — muscle spasms or contractions that you cannot control.

Crevice — a crack in a rock.

Iridescent — very brightly coloured and shiny.

Nausea — a sick feeling in your stomach.

Numbness — when a part of your body loses feeling.

Paralysis — a medical condition that stops you being able to move.

Pressure immobilisation bandaging — a first aid technique where you wrap the whole arm or leg (wherever the bite
is) firmly in a bandage. This can slow down the spread of venom throughout the body.

Predators — animals that hunt other animals for food.

Puncture — to make a hole by piercing or poking with something sharp.

Prey — an animal that gets eaten by a predator.

Reflex — an involuntary or automatic response.

Saliva — is the medical term for spit.

Shock — a life-threatening medical condition where not enough blood reaches all the parts of your body and they can’t
work properly.

Species — a group of animals that look and act in similar ways.

Tapering — becoming gradually narrower or thinner at one end.

Toxin — a poison produced by an animal.

Venomous — describes an animal that is able to inflict a poisoned bite, sting, or wound.

Resources

Glossary Factsheet

Factsheet Booklet