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SCMP Reporter

Why do dogs and cats have fleas?

Fleas need to feed on blood. They live on an animal so they can suck its blood, lay eggs and make more fleas.

Dogs and cats are ideal for living on. They are easy to jump on to because they are  near the ground and down  a lot.

Fleas prefer to live on cats and dogs because they have a higher body temperature than humans do, and fleas like warmth.

Why do flamingos stand on one leg?

A flamingo usually drowses while balanced on one of its stilt-like legs, with its other leg drawn in, its big bent bill tucked under a wing, and its gorgeous feathers fluffed out - and usually facing the wind. Flamingos probably adopt this pose to stay warm.

Flamingos are found in many parts of the world, ranging from the Great Rift Valley in Africa to the highland lakes of the Andes in South America.

They are waders - birds that collect their food from shallow water. Their long thin legs and webbed  toes are bare of feathers, which makes wading easy. However, no feathers means less  insulation for blood circulating in the legs. The solution is to conserve heat by drawing a leg close up to the warm body.

Much of the folded 'leg' is actually the bird's foot, as a bird's foot extends to the backward 'bend' in its leg; the 'bend' is actually the bird's 'ankle'. A locking mechanism prevents the leg from buckling.

Other long-legged birds such as storks, ibises and herons and even some short-legged birds such as ducks and geese, assume the one- legged position.

What is juvenile delinquency?

It is criminal behaviour by  a young person. A juvenile legally becomes an adult anywhere between the ages of 15 to 18, depending on the  country.

Delinquency means conduct that does not conform to the legal or moral standards of society. It usually applies only to acts that, if done by an adult, would be considered criminal.

Delinquent behaviour often originates at schools. Most delinquents perform poorly in the school environment and are unhappy there.

Many delinquents are dropouts  who leave school at an early age.  Juvenile gangs often perform criminal acts, not solely out of frustration with society but also out of a need to attain status within their group.

A gang can provide the rewards a juvenile cannot get from his school or other institution.

Why do some fragrances seem to last much longer than others?

People with dry skin usually find their 'fragrance-holding time' shorter than those with oily skin. This is because oily skin has more natural moisture to hold in the fragrance.

The PH level - the amount of acidity - of our skin also varies slightly from person to person. Our individual PH level will determine how each ingredient in a fragrance will react.

Graphic: SPBRAIGLO



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