👃 How do animals smell things?

Animals smell things with their noses, just like we do! 🐾 But some animals have super-smelling powers! 🦨

Dogs, for example, have wet noses that help them catch smells better. They can even smell things we can't! 🐶

Cats use their whiskers to help them smell too! 🐱 Isn't that cool?

Animals smell things using their noses, but many have special adaptations! 🦨

Dogs have up to 300 million smell receptors (we have only 5 million)! Their wet noses trap scent molecules, helping them detect smells from far away. 🐕

Sharks can smell a drop of blood in the ocean from miles away! 🦈

Snakes use their tongues to 'taste' the air and smell! 🐍

Animals have evolved incredible ways to detect smells, often far surpassing human abilities. Here’s how:

1. Olfactory Receptors

Many animals have more olfactory receptors than humans. For example:

• Dogs: 300 million receptors (vs. our 5 million).
• Elephants: Nearly 2,000 genes for smell (the most of any animal!).

2. Specialized Organs

Some animals have extra smelling tools:

• Snakes use their Jacobson’s organ (in the roof of their mouth) to analyze smells collected by their tongue.
• Sharks have Lorenzini ampullae, which detect tiny electrical signals from prey.

3. Behavioral Adaptations

Animals like ants leave scent trails, while moths can detect mates from miles away!