Race of life

There are many fine examples of evolutionary history in the natural world. Whales evolved from land-dwelling creatures to today's marine mammals.

The leopard is perhaps the best-equipped big cat, with a population spread far and wide, but lions have almost no predators.

Desert animals have evolved to handle heat and lack of water. This includes scorpions, which have existed since life first crawled from the sea.

The African Savannah sees thousands of battles each day. How do elephants survive on a diet that even the strictest vegetarian would avoid?

Males and females of some species fight viciously. Though they are usually not trying to kill each other, the fighting can result in death.

With predators always looking for a meal, their prey must constantly avoid being eaten. Defensive adaptations add to their chances of survival.