Wild Senses

Animals’ senses are amazing. Using different senses allows animals to interpret the world around them in a particular way. Many senses are highly sensitive and finely tuned, ensuring the survival of animals in their environment. Our own senses enable humans to see, hear, smell, taste and touch the environment around them. Some people may have a sensory impairment and use their other senses to a greater degree or in different ways instead to compensate.

While many animals share the same senses as us, others have senses that we do not have. For example, some animals detect the Earth’s magnetic field or see ultraviolet light. Our understanding of senses has changed over time: in the past we have tried to put ourselves in the place of animals, often leading to incorrect assumptions and scientific discoveries about how they sense the world. Today, we have a much better understanding of how other animals interpret their world, although there may still be senses we have not yet discovered!

How to use

This learning resource provides examples of animals that are suited to different environments and how their senses have evolved to deal with the specific conditions they live in. There is also the opportunity to reflect and take action on how some of these animals may need our help to better survive in habitats that they frequently share with humans.

This resource showcases bats, moles, hedgehogs, deep-sea fish and cave-dwelling animals, and shows how they use their senses, many of which we as humans do not have. Each double page features a student-friendly page which can be shown on a screen in the classroom and a page for teachers and learning providers, sharing further details, actions to help and areas to explore.

Learning outcomes of resource
By the end of this resource, learners will:

• Understand the wide range of senses used by different animals to interpret their environments;
• Explain how some animals have adapted their senses to particular environments;
• Explain how our understanding of animal senses has changed over time;
• Understand how humans sense the world in different ways to each other;
• Feel empowered to make the environment for these animals more accessible.