Animal Adaptations

The environment that an animal lives in is called habitat. An animal must be able to adapt in its habitat in order to get the things it needs such as: shelter, food, space & water.

​Structural Adaptations

PHYSICAL characteristics on a plant or animal that helps it adapt to its environment.

• Elephant-

  • Trunk (helps for food)

  • Tusk for digging or weapon

• Duck-

  • Webbed feet (paddle through water)

  • Beak (food like insects, snails & seeds)

• Polar Bear

  • Thick layer of fat (warmth)

  • Paws (swimming and hunting)

​Behavioral Adaptations

Animal behaviors which enable them to survive in their environment

Types of behaviors:

• Mimicry- Animals use for colors and markings to look like another dangerous animal to keep predators away

• Camouflage- Ability of an organism to remain unnoticed by blending with environment

• Migration- Seasonal movement of a populations of animals from one area to another

• Hibernation- Time when animals go into a very deep sleep for a period of time

• Learned- A behavior which in not present in an animal at birth but arises through experience

• Instinctive- A behavior which is with an animal from birth and is performed by all members of their species

​Mimicry

Camouflage

​Migration

Hibernation

• Internal change that animals and plants go through to ensure their survival in their environment

• Allows organism to perform special functions within the body as a result of its surrounding environment

  • Snakes & Spiders produce venom to paralyze their prey

  • Fish & Retiles are cold-blooded with living in cold water

  • Giraffes have long necks to eat food that are hard to reach and look for predators from a long distance