Wildlife Biology Vocabulary

noun a sharp, curved nail on the foot of an animal, especially a bird or reptile

verb to scratch or tear something with claws or fingernails

• The eagle used its sharp claw to catch its prey.
• Ouch! The cat's claw scratched me.
• I need to trim my nails, these claws are getting too long.
• The company's legal team is ready to claw back any lost profits.

adjective resembling or characteristic of a turtle

• The turtlelike movements of the robot were designed to mimic the slow and steady pace of a real turtle.
• I can't believe how turtlelike my cat is when he's sneaking up on a bird.
• She moves so turtlelike when she's trying to avoid doing her chores.
• His turtlelike approach to decision-making may not always be the most efficient, but it ensures thorough consideration of all options.

noun a young animal, especially a young horse or cow, that is between one and two years old

• The yearling horse was being trained for the upcoming race season.
• I can't believe how big that yearling calf has gotten!
• Check out that cute little yearling pup over there!
• As a yearling in the industry, she was eager to learn and grow in her new role.

noun a young or small snake

• The herpetologist carefully studied the behavior of the snakelet in its natural habitat.
• I saw a tiny snakelet slithering across the path while hiking.
• Watch out for that baby snakelet, it's venomous!
• The new employee was like a snakelet in the office, slowly learning the ropes and adapting to the environment.

noun a bony protuberance on the head of a giraffe or okapi, typically covered in skin and hair

• The giraffe's ossicone is made of ossified cartilage covered in skin.
• Did you know that a giraffe's 'horns' are actually called ossicones?
• Check out the cool 'horns' on that giraffe - those are ossicones!
• Her ossicone-like resolve helped her navigate through the challenges of life.