Tardigrades
(Hypsibius dujardini)
HABITAT? Moist environments like lakes, ponds, and rivers. They live as broad as on top of the Himalayas to deep sea ocean levels.
DID YOU KNOW?
– They’re nicknamed “water bears” and “moss piglets”
– They can survive living in extreme environments that would likely kill any other species on earth
– Their bodies can withstand freezing temperatures of below -273 degrees C and hot temperatures up to 151 degrees C, and they can withstand 1000 times more radiation than any other creature
– They’re the only animals known to survive after being exposed to the vacuum of space. Yes, they can survive space!
– Despite having 8 legs, they’re slow walkers (hence the name Tardigrades, which came from Tardigrada, which means “slow walker”)
– Grown adults can reach a size of 1.5 millimetres
– They’re usually found among moss, nibbling on plants or bacteria