​Planet Earth has many kinds of landscapes from burning-hot deserts to frozen ice fields, and from oceans, rivers, and lakes to grassy plains, rain forests, and high mountains. Animals can live in all of these environments because they have special adaptations to help them survive. Many animals have adaptations that help them find food, live in different climates, and stay safe from predators that hunt them for food.

​Some animal adaptations are physical

adaptations. They may have thick fur to keep them warm or long legs to run away from predators. Others may have large ears to listen for prey, the animals they hunt for food. They also use their ears to hear a predator before it pounces. Adaptations can be so extraordinary you wouldn’t think of them in a million years!

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The Texas

horned lizard

blends into

the desert

background.

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If you’re a javelina with a hairy, smelly family

around you, there’s a good chance you can make

a predator change its mind!

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You might think a rain forest would be easier

to live in than a desert. After all, there’s plenty

of food and water in a rain forest. But that also

means a lot of animals live there.

Being able to climb trees is a useful skill in the

rain forest. It allows an animal to keep away from

predators. The sloth spends most of its life in the

treetops. Its strong, curved claws help it climb and

hang upside down from branches.

The sloth also moves very slowly. It does this

so it’s not noticed. Green algae grows in its fur.

This camouflages the sloth in the treetops.

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The aye-aye lives only in the rain forests of Madagascar, near Africa. It hunts beetle larvae, which live inside rotting wood. The aye-aye gnaws a narrow hole in the wood with its sharp teeth. Then it hooks out the larvae with a long, skinny finger. The aye-aye is nocturnal. This helps it to stay safe from daytime predators. However, the aye-aye is endangered and may soon become extinct. People have hunted it because they think it brings bad luck. Also, much of the rain forest in Madagascar has been cut down, destroying the aye-aye’s habitat. Today there are laws to keep people from hunting it.

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There are many different habitats and many

interesting ways that animals survive. But will all

of these animals continue to survive?

To help it survive, an animal needs a healthy

habitat. Many habitats are destroyed when people

pollute the water or cut down trees to build

towns. People also hunt animals. This has caused

many animals to become endangered or extinct.

Conservationists and scientists work hard to

protect wild animals and their environments.

We can all help to protect our planet and its

amazing animals.