Animal Adaptations
All animals live in specific habitats. These
provide food, water, and shelter which animals
need to survive, but there is more to survival
than just the habitat! Animals also depend on
adaptations of their physical features to help
them obtain food, keep safe, build homes,
withstand weather, and attract mates. 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, colour 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.
Explore these internet sites to find out about a range of animal adaptations.
African Hedgehog
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azhgehog.html
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?
Kratt's Creatures
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 alligators’ eyes adapted for seeing in water?
Lions
http://www.lpzoo.org/animals/LION-HOUSE/index.html
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What is the purpose of the mane on a male lion?
Why are the eyes of a lion set in the front of its head rather than on the sides?
A lion has heavily muscled forelimbs and shoulders. Why?
Why do they have forepaws equipped with long, retractile claws?
Why do they have a rough tongue?
Why do they have loose belly skin?
Bactrian Camel
http://www.lpzoo.org/animals/FACTS/mammals/bact_camel.html
1. Camels have many adaptations that allow them to live successfully in desert
conditions. List these adaptations and say how they benefit the camel.
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 life in a tree?
Sea Otters
http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/html/sea_otter.html
1. Sea otters spend almost their entire lives in water. They eat, sleep, and even have their
babies in water. How is their fur adapted to keep them warm? Why is it a critical
situation when otters encounter oil spills?
2. What do they eat?
Burmese Python
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azpythn.html
1. How are the mouths of pythons adapted to finding prey and swallowing large prey?
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.
South African Burrowing Bullfrog
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azsablfg.html
1. What do they eat?
2. How do they hold on to prey that is struggling to escape?
California King Snake
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azkgsnke.html
1. Why can king snakes eat rattle snakes?
Beaver Facts
http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=funfacts.beaver
1. How are beavers built for underwater work?
2. This site has additional information.
White Throated Savanna Monitor
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azmonitor.html
1. How long are they?
2. What do they eat?
3. How are their mouths adapted to what they eat?
Giraffe
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azgiraf.html
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.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azlfvult.html
1. How are the heads of vultures adapted to what they eat?
Manatees
http://www.savethemanatee.org/faq.htm
1. Scroll down about 1/3 of the way down the page. What special adaptations do
manatees have that that allow them to stay under water longer than the average landdwelling mammal?
Wallaroo
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azwalaro.html
1. What do they eat?
2. How are their feet adapted to rock climbing?
Polar Bears
http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/html/polar_bear.html
1. Why do polar bears have such big feet?
2. How does their fur keep them warm?
Kratt's Creatures
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/index.html
1. From this page, click on "Australia" and then click on "Platypus".
2. How are platypuses adapted for the time they spend in water?
Kratt's Creatures
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/index.html
1. From this page, click on "Oceans" and then click on "Pacific walrus".
2. What do special adaptation do these walruses have that allow them to float on top of
the water and sleep?
Squirrel Monkey
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azsqmky.html
1. Where in the world do they live?
2. What do they eat?
3. These monkeys live in group. How does this help them?
Kratt's Creatures
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/index.html
1. From this page, click on "North America" and then click on "Mountain goat".
2. How are they adapted for living in the tops of high, cold mountains?
3. How are their rear ends adapted to protect themselves from other goats?
Gila Monster
http://www.scz.org/animals/g/gila.html
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?
Red Panda
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/redpanda/Redpandaprintout.shtml
1. How are red pandas adapted to eating bamboo?
Kratt's Creatures
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/index.html
1. From this page, click on "Eurasia" and then click on "Pacific walrus".
2. How are the feet of snow leopards adapted for travelling and hunting on snowy and
icy ground?
Canada Lynx
http://www.nhm.org/cats/encyclo/canadens/
1. What adaptations do lynxes have for manoeuvering through deep snow?
Round Island Day Gecko
http://www.thewildones.org/Animals/riGecko.html
1. How are their teeth adapted to what they eat?
2. How are their feet adapted to where they live?
3. What unique method do they have of defending themselves?
Defensive Adaptations
Many animals have developed remarkable
defences to keep from being eaten.
Grazing animals often feed in herds. When a
predator attacks, the animals scatter and run in
different directions which confuses the
predator and allows the animals to escape.
Some animals never venture too far from their
home in underground dens or thick vegetation
and can quickly hide when danger approaches.
Many animals have keen senses of sight, smell,
and hearing so that they can detect danger and
escape. Some animals have horns or antlers to
fight off predators. Some animals are active
only at night when it is harder for predators to
find them.
Many animals rely on camouflage or the ability to blend in with their surroundings to hide
from predators. A few animals are even poisonous or unpleasant-tasting, and predators soon
learn to leave such animals alone. These poisonous animals are often brightly coloured too
which acts as a warning to predators.
Some animals use chemicals which they spray from various parts of their bodies to deter
predators. A few animals rely on trickery and copy the defences of other animals to protect
themselves.
Western Lowland Gorilla
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/gorilla/g._gorilla_gorilla$narrative.html
1. To scare away potential sources of danger, how does an adult male gorilla
communicate aggression?
Tarantulas
http://www.tarantulas.com/
1. How do tarantulas protect themselves?
Two and Three-Toed Sloths
http://www.rossparkzoo.com/virtualtour/lowerzoo/sloth/sloth.htm
1. What are 2 ways that these sloths defend themselves?
2. What are their main predators?
Afghanistan Leopard
http://www.lpzoo.org/animals/FACTS/mammals/afg_leopard.html
1. How does the loose belly skin of a leopard protect it?
White Throated Savanna Monitor
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azmonitor.html
1. How do these animals scare away predators?
Zebras
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azebra.html
1. How do zebras defend themselves?
African Hedgehog
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azhgehog.html
1. What physical feature does a hedgehog have that protects it from predators?
Woma
http://www.perthzoo.wa.gov.au/wildlife_facts_au_woma.html
1. What kind of animal is a woma?
2. How does it protect itself from predators?
Kratt's Creatures
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/index.html
From this page, click on "Oceans" and then click on "Stingray".
1. How do stingrays defend themselves against predators?
Lions
http://www.lpzoo.org/animals/FACTS/mammals/af_lion.html
1. Why are lions a tawny brown colour?
Round Island Day Gecko
http://www.thewildones.org/Animals/riGecko.html
1. When in danger of becoming a predator's dinner, what does this gecko do?
Bearded Dragon
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azdragon.html
1. How do they scare away predators?
Kratt's Creatures
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/index.html
From this page, click on "Africa" and then click on "Plains zebra".
1. How do zebras warn each other of danger?
Manatees
http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/Manatee/home.html
1. When confronted with danger, what do manatees generally do?
Kratt's Creatures
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/index.html
From this page, click on "North America" and then click on "Prairie dog".
1. How do prairie dogs warn each other of danger?
Kratt's Creatures
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/index.html
From this page, click on "Africa" and then click on "Cheetah".
1. What is it about baby cheetahs that makes them look bigger to predators?
Finished? Go to http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/climate/adaptations/index.cfm