Question

A small animal crouches 1 m in front of a pit viper in total darkness. A gentle breeze blows in the direction from the viper towards the small animal. The viper will have the greatest chance of detecting the small animal if the small animal

• A. Remains motionless
• B. Releases an odour
• C. Is brightly coloured
• D. Is warmer than its surroundings

Answer 1

The correct option is D Is warmer than its surroundings

The viper is one of the deadliest snakes found on the Earth. It catches its prey by a technique called prey relocation. This technique involves the viper biting its prey and immediately releasing it so as to save itself from the bite of the prey. It then smells the prey as it wanders off and catches it again. The viper can detect the temperature difference between its surroundings and the prey. The prey usually has a temperature slightly higher than the surroundings which enable the viper to detect it easily.

So, the correct answer is 'Is warmer than its surroundings'.