Does everyone know why animals need moving ears?

The auricle is part of the outer ear, consisting of cartilaginous tissue. Its function is to catch sounds and direct them to the eardrum. In humans, unlike animals, the muscles atrophied, which drove this part of the ear into motion. And why do animals need moving ears? To understand this, you need to know how their hearing organ is arranged and what is its role in their life.

What does hearing for animals mean

All mammals, in contrast to humans, hear very well and are able to distinguish a wide variety of sounds. This is due to the fact that in forest thickets it is difficult to navigate with the help of the organ of vision: it is not easy to find game or hiding enemy. And then the organ of hearing comes to the aid. Not all people know the importance for many animals of the mobility of the auricles. And this is due to the fact that with the help of the hearing organ 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 ear auricles

Probably everyone watched dogs alert their ears, and horses lead them to hear better. This is explained by the importance for the animals of the auricle. The external auditory meatus of them is a very important organ for catching a wide variety of sounds. Therefore, it was built mainly in the form of a funnel. Thus, it is easier for an animal to catch sounds that are heard from different directions.

The external ear of animals has a very complex structure: there are several auditory passages leading to the eardrum, as well as special hillocks that catch the direction of sound. Why do animals need moving ears? Their ear is like a locator, it catches sound waves. And to better recognize them, the ears of many mammals are large, have a conical shape or a funnel shape. This is all necessary in order to better recognize the sounds and their source.

Why animals have big ears

1. Sound is a wave, its receiver is the tympanic membrane. But in most animals they are small, this is done in order to avoid their damage. Therefore, the sound wave must be caught and amplified, because the sound must be strong enough to cause oscillations of the tympanic membrane. And big ears can catch the most inconspicuous sounds and amplify them many times.

2. The large size of the auricles in many animals serves also to be able to rotate them 180 degrees. This, for example, needs a hare to feel the danger from behind, without turning his head. This animal is the clearest example of why animals need moving ears.

3. Some nocturnal animals also have large ears, for example, bats. Such ears help them navigate in the dark. They emit supersonic waves and with large ears, as 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 catching sounds. This is seen in the example of an elephant. His big ears are very mobile, but the rumor of this animal is not very sharp. The elephant slaps his ears to cool and drive off the annoying insects.

Why do animals need moving ears

To understand this, you need to imagine the life of a predator, especially a herbivore, in the forest. He should be able to focus on one thing, for example, tracking down the prey or eating, and at the same time he needs to hear what is happening behind his back and side. In this he is helped by mobile ears. They turn in the direction of the slightest sound and catch it. And both ears can turn in different directions. This is known to owners of dogs with standing ears, who constantly observe how their pet turns one ear toward the sound. Antelopes and goats also each ear turns in the direction of the source of sound independently of the other. In addition, it is very important for many forest residents 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 are used in animals.