eläintoja

Eläintoja is a Finnish term that translates to "animals" in English. This broad category encompasses all living organisms belonging to the biological kingdom Animalia. Animals are characterized by several key features, including being multicellular, eukaryotic organisms, and typically heterotrophic, meaning they obtain nutrients by consuming other organisms. They are generally motile, capable of movement at some stage of their life cycle, and possess specialized sensory organs and nervous systems that allow them to respond to their environment.

The diversity within the animal kingdom is immense, ranging from microscopic zooplankton to colossal whales. They inhabit virtually every ecosystem on Earth, from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains. Animals are classified into numerous phyla, classes, orders, families, genera, and species, reflecting their evolutionary relationships and diverse adaptations. Common examples include mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, and arachnids. Their roles in ecosystems are varied, including acting as predators, prey, pollinators, decomposers, and herbivores, all contributing to the intricate balance of life. The study of animals is known as zoology.