Animals connect with each other in various ways. One way is by forming relationships, called symbiotic relationships, with other organisms. Symbiosis is any close relationship between living things. There are three categories of symbiotic relationships; mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.
Mutualism is when both organisms benefit from the relationship For example, some small birds sit on water buffaloes and eat the insects that bother the animals, In this relationship, the birds benefit and the water buffalo benefits. The birds get foot, and the water buffalo gets fewer insect bites. Commensalism is when one organism benefits and the other is not affected. For example, a fly may land on a cow that is walking across a ficld. The fly gets a ride to a new place, but the fly neither helps nor hurts the cow. The fly benefits, but the cow is not affected.
Parasitism is on organism benefits, and the other is hurt. For example, ticks often attach themselves, to the skin of other animals, such as dogs. The tick drinks the dog’s blood and gets food, but the tick can make the dog sick. The tick benefits, but the dog can get hurt.