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Animal Adaptations

 

All animals live in habitats. Habitats provide food, water, and shelter which animals need to survive, but there is more to survival than just the habitat. Animals also depend on their physical features to help them obtain food, keep safe, build homes, withstand weather, and attract mates. These physical features are called physical adaptations. Physical adaptations do not develop during an animal's life but over many generations. The shape of a bird's beak, the number of fingers, color of the fur, the thickness or thinness of the fur, the shape of the nose or ears are all examples of physical adaptations which help different animals to survive.

Come and sample these internet sites about animal adaptations.

 

GRASSLANDS OR PLAINS           TROPICAL RAINFORESTS       TEMPERATE OR DECIDUOUS FORESTS

  DESERTS                              TAIGA OR CONNIFEROUS FORESTS                     TUNDRA (ARCTIC AND ANTARCTIC)

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GRASSLANDS or PLAINS

 

 

GRASSLANDS IN AFRICA

African Hedgehog
http://www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/hedgehog

  1. Besides having stiff spines that stick out from their bodies and help protect them, these animals also have loose skin under those spines and powerful back muscles. Why?
Giraffe
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/meet_the_animals/giraffe,-reticulated
  1. Why are giraffes able to go for long periods of time without water?
  2. How are their long necks adapted to their lifestyle?
Lappet-faced Vulture

http://www.thebigzoo.com/Animals/Lappet-faced_Vulture.asp

  1. How are the heads of vultures adapted to what they eat?
Lion

http://www.lpzoo.org/animals/factsheet.php?contentID=182

  1. What is the purpose of the mane on a male lion?
  2. Why are the eyes of a lion set in the front of its head rather than on the sides?
  3. A lion has heavily muscled forelimbs and shoulders. Why?
  4. Why do they have forepaws equipped with long, retractile claws?
  5. Why do they have a rough tongue?
  6. Why do they have loose belly skin?
White Throated Savannah Monitor

http://www.oaklandzoo.org/meet_the_animals/white-throated-monitor

  1. How long are they?
  2. What do they eat?
  3. How are their mouths adapted to what they eat?

GRASSLANDS IN EUROPE and ASIA

Leopard Gecko
http://www.eriezoo.org/leopard_gecko.htm

http://www.rossparkzoo.com/animals/leopard-gecko.htm

 

 Spectacled Cobra

http://www.torontozoo.ca/Animals/details.asp?AnimalId=579 

GRASSLANDS IN NORTH AMERICA

North American Bison
http://www.rossparkzoo.com/animals/american-bison.htm

Mule Deer
http://www.desertusa.com/feb97/du_muledeer.html

 GRASSLANDS IN SOUTH AMERICA

Maned Wolf
http://www.thewildones.org/Animals/manedWlf.html

 Jaguar
http://www.lpzoo.org/animals/factsheet.php?contentID=224

  

GRASSLANDS IN AUSTRALIA

Bennet's Wallaby
http://www.rossparkzoo.com/animals/wallaby.htm

1. How is this animal adapted to the arid conditions of it's habitat?

Wallaroo

http://www.australianstamp.com/Coin-web/feature/nature/commwall.htm

  1. What do they eat?
  2. How are their feet adapted to rock climbing?
Red Kangaro
http://www.lvzoo.org/Animals/profiles/kangaroo.html

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TROPICAL RAINFORESTS

 


 

 

TROPICAL RAIN FOREST IN AFRICA

South African Burrowing Bullfrog
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/meet_the_animals/south-african-burrowing-bulfrog*

  1. What do they eat?

Pygmy Hippopotamus
http://www.torontozoo.com/animals/details.asp?AnimalId=371

     1.  How is this animal adapted to spend most of its time in the water?

     2. How does his skin protect him from the sun?

 

TROPICAL RAINFOREST IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA

Giant Tortoise
http://www.pbs.org/safarchive/5_cool/galapagos
/g23c_biology.html

1. How do these turtles differ depending on which part of the islands they inhabit?

Hoffman's Two-toed Sloth

http://www.lpzoo.org/animals/factsheet.php?contentID=165

 Why is being slow good?

  1. What is on their fur? Why?
  2. What else can they do that other animals do not? 

Capybara

http://www.sfzoo.org/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.asp?LinkKey=13247&orgkey=1821 

    1.  How is this animal adapted for swimming?


 

TROPICAL RAINFOREST IN ASIA

 Sun Bear
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/meet_the_animals/sun-bear

Bengal Tiger
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/meet_the_animals/tiger

 Vietnamese Walking Stick

http://www.oaklandzoo.org/meet_the_animals/vietnamese-walking-stick

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DESERTS 

 


DESERTS IN AFRICA

Addax
http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/index.htm

Click on the arrow at the bottom of the page until you find this animal. 

    1. What is the shape of their hoofs and why?

   2. How do they survive in the dry desert?

 
Fat Sand Rat
http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/index.htm

Click on the arrow at the bottom of the page until you find this animal.

   1. How does this animal deal with seasonal  food shortages in the desert?

 

DESERTS IN NORTH AMERICA

Gila Monster
http://www.torontozoo.com/Animals/details.asp?AnimalId=485

  1. What do gila monsters do to avoid the heat of the day?
  2. What do gila monsters do in winter months to keep warm? How do they survive during winter months with little food?

 
Sidewinder
http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/index.htm

Click on the arrow at the bottom of the page until you find this animal.

      1. What do Sidewinders do to avoid the heat of the day?
     2. How does its body move in the sand and keep cool on the hot sand?
 

DESERTS IN ASIA

 Bactrial Camel
http://www.lpzoo.org/animalsFACTS/mammals/bact_camel.html

    1. What is the shape of their hoofs and why?

   2. How do they survive in the dry desert?

 
DesertLark

This bird also lives in the North of Africa
http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/index.htm

 Click on the arrow at the bottom of the page until you find this animal.

    1. What is their main adaptation?

Arabian Camel
mammals/bactrian_camel.html http://www.arab.net/camels/

Click on the arrow at the bottom of the page.

  1. Camels have many adaptations that allow them to live successfully in desert conditions. List these adaptations and how they benefit the camel
Great Jerboa

http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/index.htm

 Click on the arrow at the bottom of the page until you find this animal.

       1. How does this rodent feed?


DESERTS IN AUSTRALIA 

Bearded Dragon
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azdragon.html

 1. How is this lizard different to other lizards? Why?

 Dingo
http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/index.htm 

Click on the arrow at the bottom of the page. 

   1.  How have they adapted to the declining number of kangaroos? 

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TEMPERATE OR DECIDUOUS FOREST

 

 

 

TEMPERATE FOREST IN NORTH AMERICA 

Black Bear
http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/animals/bears.html


White Tailed Deer
http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/animals/deer.html

Skunk 
http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/animals/skunk.html

Porcupine
http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/animals/porcupine.html

American Alligator
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/index.html
  1. From this page, click on "North America" and then click on "American alligator".
  2. How are these alligator's eyes adapted for seeing in water?

Beaver

http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/furbear/beaver.php

  1. How are beavers built for underwater work?
  2. This site has additional information.



TEMPERATE FOREST IN AUSTRALIA

 Koala
http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/animal-bytes/
animalia/eumetazoa/coelomates/deuterostomes/
chordata/craniata/mammalia/diprotodontia/koala.htm

  1. How are the hands of a koala adapted for their life?

 

TEMPERATE FOREST IN ASIA

Giant Panda
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/PandaFacts/default.cfm

 

White Cheeked Gibbon
http://www.lpzoo.org/animals/FACTS/mammals/gibbon.html

  1. Why do many monkeys and apes have long arms?
  2. Describe special adaptations on the hands of gibbons.

Red Panda
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/redpanda/Redpandaprintout.shtml

  1. How are red pandas adapted to eating bamboo?

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THE TAIGA or CONNIFEROUS FORESTS

Taiga is a biome characterized by coniferous forests. Covering most of inland Alaska, Canada, Sweden, Finland, northern Kazakhstan and Russia (especially Siberia), as well as parts of the extreme northern continental United States.

TAIGA IN NORTH AMERICA

 Caribou

http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/arctic/caribou.html

   1.     How does this animal adapt to the harsh conditions of its habitat?

 

Bald Eagle
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/eagle/Adaptations.html

 1.  This bird has many adaptations that allow it to survive in its habitat, name some.

 

Canadian Lynx

 http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/animals/lynx.html

    1.  How does this animal adapt to the cold?

 

 California King Snake
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azkgsnke.html

  1. Why can king snakes eat rattle snakes?

 

TAIGA IN ASIA 

Gray Wolf 

http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/jeffcorwin/carnival/lilmammal/wolf.html

This animal also lives in North America. 

 

 TAIGA IN EUROPE

Snow Leopard
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/index.html

  1. From this page, click on "Eurasia" and then click on "Snow Leopard".
  2. How are the feet of snow leopards adapted for traveling and hunting on snowy and icy ground?

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THE TUNDRA  (ARTIC or ANTARTIC)

 

  In physical geography, tundra is an area where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term "tundra" comes from Kildin Sami t?ndâr 'uplands, tundra, treeless mountain tract'. There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, Antarctic tundra, and alpine tundra

 

 TUNDRA IN ANTARCTICA

http://octopus.gma.org/surfing/antarctica/penguin.html

 1. How are penguins well-adapted to cold water and icy environments?

2. In which part of the world do penguins live?

3. Why are their wings so short?

 

TUNDRA IN ARCTIC

 Polar Bear
http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/html/polar_bear.html

  1. Why do polar bears have such big feet?
  2. How do they adapt to the cold?

 

Arctic Fox

http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/arctic/Afox.html

       1.  How does its color help this animal?

    2, How does it survive in extreme cold?
 

 

Arctic Hare

http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/arctic/Ahare.html

      1.  How does its color help this animal?

    2. How does it survive in extreme cold

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