The Egyptian Plover and

the Crocodile

By: Lily-Rose Chin

Why I chose the Egyptian Plover and the Crocodile I chose to do my webquest on the Egyptian Plover and the

Crocodile because I’ve always been interested in crocodiles and I think the relationship between these two organisms is really sweet. The Crocodile opens it’s mouth and the Egyptian Plover lands in it and eats the food out from in-between the Crocodile’s teeth. I think that this is a perfect example of symbiosis, because the Egyptian

Plover gets a meal and the Crocodile gets a good dental cleaning. I made my font be comic sans ms because it’s clear and easy to read. I made my colour scheme be green and yellow because a crocodile is green and an Egyptian Plover is yellow.

Egyptian Plover and Crocodile

Egyptian Plover and Crocodile

Symbiotic relationships If you’re wondering what symbiosis is, it’s a close

relationship between two or more organisms. There are 5 types of symbiotic relationships. There is mutualism, which is where both species benefit, commensalism which is when one species benefits, and the other is unaffected. There is also parasitism which is when one species benefits and the other is harmed. Competition is another type of symbiotic relationship, but in this relationship neither species benefits! Last, but not least there is neutralism which is where both species are unaffected. The symbiotic relationship between the Egyptian Plover and the Crocodile is a mutualistic relationship because both the Egyptian Plover and the Crocodile benefit.

Clownfish and anemone

Bee and flower

ConversationEgyptian Plover: Bluh! What did you eat this morning??Crocodile: Hey you should be happy with what you have, you’re just lucky

I’m not eating you up right now!Egyptian Plover: Hmmm…true, but just because you’re bigger than me

doesn’t mean you get to boss me around all the time!Crocodile: Hmmm…maybe I have been a bit hard on you lately I’ll tell the

others your viewpoint…. Sorry.Egyptian Plover: Apology accepted! I’ll try to be less picky too, other than

when I am picking between your teeth that is! Well I think we have a win-win situation I get a free meal and you get some dental cleaning.

Crocodile: You have a point you know, because you get your nutrition and I get some dental hygiene I’d hate to have my teeth rotting in my head.

Egyptian Plover: By the way, I would appreciate it if you put some variety in your diet. After all, everyone likes buffets more than fast food restaurants.

Crocodile: I will put that into consideration before my next meal.

Crocodile and Egyptian Plover

The Saltwater Crocodile

Organism Environment

Features How features help it survive

Swamps, lakes and generally water

Streamline body and long tail

Helps them swim faster.

Dangerous and deadly

Protective armour To protect them when they get into fights.

Salt water Transparent second eyelid

So that it can swim and see at the same time.

Water (no air) Four chambered heart (ability to slow their heart rate)

Lets them stay underwater for long periods of time.

Bushy and grey Coloured grey Helps it camoflage

Venn Diagram

Feathers Beak Goes around in groups Prey Lives on land

Egyptian Plover Crocodil

e•Hunger•The hearts (center) of their families (species)•Like hot weather•Bury eggs in sand

•Scales•Snout•Goes around individually•Predator•Lives in water

The Egyptian Plover… in the desert! Hi, my name is Sara and I’m an Egyptian Plover. Today I going to tell you the story of

when the zoo moved me to the desert to see how I would adapt to that environment (and let me tell you, I was definitely NOT made for that environment)

When I first arrived I thought wow it’s really hot here… maybe I should get a drink of water because these feathers make me stifling hot, and with this oppressive sun I’m quite parched! So I went off in search of some water, but all I found was some dirty mud and some big mean lions. And just to make it worse I was starting to feel hungry, I looked around hmmm… maybe I could ask that camel over there. “Excuse me? Hi, sorry to bother you, but I was just wondering if you know where I could find some food and drink?” I asked.

He looked at me, puzzled “Right here!” he said gesturing towards a bunch of prickly desert plants. “Uh oh, watch out Mr. Bird, there’s a major sandstorm coming our way so close your nostrils!” he said.

“What??” I exclaimed, but it was too late. The sand storm took away my sense of sight and my lungs were full of sand! “I wanna go home!!!” I screeched. And it was just my luck, the zoo helicopter was coming down “Hi Sara! Hi girl, c’mon lets go home huh?” said my loving trainer “Yesss!!” I exclaimed.

And now I know that the desert just isn’t the place for me!!!

The Desert

Camel

Most Interesting/strangest FeaturesI think that the weirdest fact is that crocodiles

roll their eggs on their tongues to help the eggs hatch…ewww!!! One of my favourite facts which I think is coolest is that Crocodiles have another transparent eyelid. A thing I think is really beautiful about the Egyptian Plover is that it is so colourful (it has strips of black all over it’s body, a red stripe across it’s chest, a grey body and a white head!!)

Egyptian Plover in flight

Egyptian Plover

My animalMy animal is called theFair floating flyer. Features:Sharp teethLong beakWingsWebbed feetSecond eyelidTail

Beak

Sharp teeth

Webbed feet

Wings

Second eyelid

Tail

The Fair floating flyer has 6 main features (listed to the left). Sharp teeth to help it chew and bite things. A long beak to help it reach and eat deepwater fish. Wings to help it fly to and from the water. Webbed feet to help it swim. A second eyelid to help it see and swim underwater at the same time. And last but not least a tail to help it propel it in the right direction. The Fair floating flyer is suited to slow flowing rivers and lakes.

Bibliographyhttp://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wildlife-ecosystems/wildlife/living_with_wildlife/crocodiles

/http://

pzweb.harvard.edu/ucp/curriculum/ecosystems/s5_res_symbiosis.pdf

http://www.proserpineecotours.com.au/crocs.htm

http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/crocs_oz.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocodilehttp://

www.australianfauna.com/saltwatercrocodile.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_Plover