The auricle is a part of the outer ear consisting of cartilage. Its function is to pick up sounds and direct them to the eardrum. In humans, unlike animals, the muscles atrophied, which set this part of the ear in motion. And why do animals need movable auricles? To understand this, you need to know how their hearing organ works and what its role is in their lives.
What does rumor mean for animals
All mammals, unlike humans, hear very well and are able to distinguish a wide variety of sounds. This is due to the fact that in the forest thickets it is difficult to navigate with the help of the organ of vision: it is not easy to detect game or hidden enemy. And then the hearing organ comes to the rescue. Not all people know the importance of auricle mobility for many animals. And this is due precisely to the fact that with the help of the organ of hearing they receive much more information than with the help of vision. They need the opportunity to hear sounds from all sides, and for this they do not have to turn their heads. Hearing for animals is very important, because all living things make sounds. And for many of them, he also helps to navigate in the dark.
How are the ears of animals
Everyone probably watched the dogs alert their ears, and the horses move them to hear better. This is due to the importance of the auricle for animals. Their external auditory meatus is a very important organ for capturing a wide variety of sounds, which is why it was built mainly in the form of a funnel. Thus, it is easier for the animal to pick up sounds that come from different directions.
The outer ear of animals has a very complex structure: there are several auditory passages leading to the eardrum, as well as special tubercles that capture the direction of sound. Why do animals need movable auricles? Their ear is like a locator; it picks up sound waves. And for their better recognition, the auricles of many mammals are large, have a conical shape or a funnel shape. All this is necessary in order to better recognize sounds and their source.
Why do animals have big ears
1. Sound is a wave, its eardrums are its receiver. But in most animals they are small, this is done in order to avoid damage. Therefore, the sound wave must be caught and amplified, because the sound must be strong enough to cause vibrations of the eardrum. And big ears are able to pick up the most inconspicuous sounds and amplify them many times.
2. The large size of the auricles in many animals also serves to be able to rotate them 180 degrees. This is necessary, for example, to the hare, in order to feel the danger from behind, without turning his head. This animal is the clearest example of why animals need movable auricles.
3. Some nocturnal animals also have large ears, for example, bats. Such auricles help them navigate in the dark. They emit supersonic waves and with large ears, like locators, catch them after reflection from various obstacles.
4. Another function of large ears in animals is thermoregulation. Note that all animals living in the desert, even hedgehogs, have large ears. And they serve more for cooling than for capturing sounds. This is illustrated by the example of an elephant. His large ears are very mobile, but the hearing in this animal is not very sharp. An elephant pops its ears to cool and drive away annoying insects.
Why do animals need movable ears
To understand this, one must imagine the life of a predator, and especially a herbivore, in the forest.
He should be able to focus on one thing, such as tracking prey or eating, and at the same time he needs to hear what is happening behind him and from the side. In this, mobile ears just help him. They turn towards the smallest sound and pick it up. Moreover, both ears can rotate in different directions. Owners of dogs with erect ears, who constantly observe how their pet turns one ear in the direction of sound, know this. In antelopes and goats, each ear also turns in the direction of the sound source, independently of the other. In addition, it is very important for many residents of the forest to establish not only the direction from which the sound is heard, but also the exact location of its source. It is for these purposes that mobile ears in animals are used.