Animal Animal AdaptationsAdaptations

So what is an Adaptation So what is an Adaptation anyway?anyway?

~Anything that helps a plant or ~Anything that helps a plant or animal survive in its environment is animal survive in its environment is an adaptation.  It also refers to the an adaptation.  It also refers to the ability of living things to adjust to ability of living things to adjust to different conditions in their different conditions in their environments.  environments. 

How can animals adapt?How can animals adapt?

There are 6 different kinds of adaptations:There are 6 different kinds of adaptations:PhysicalPhysical

ProtectiveProtectiveBehaviouralBehaviouralMimickingMimickingMigrationMigration

HibernationHibernation

It’s all PHYSICAL!It’s all PHYSICAL! Physical adaptations involve some part of an Physical adaptations involve some part of an

animal's body, such as the size or shape of the teeth animal's body, such as the size or shape of the teeth (beak), the animal's body covering, or the way the (beak), the animal's body covering, or the way the animal moves.  animal moves.  

Teeth - since different animals eat Teeth - since different animals eat different things, different things, they don't all have the they don't all have the same kind of teeth same kind of teeth

Body coverings - Hair, scales, spikes, and Body coverings - Hair, scales, spikes, and feathers grow from the skin.  All of these parts feathers grow from the skin.  All of these parts help help animals survive in their environments.   animals survive in their environments.  

Movement - animals find food by moving from place to Movement - animals find food by moving from place to place place

Protective Changes in Protective Changes in ColourColour

Allow an animal to blend into its Allow an animal to blend into its

environment.  environment.  Another word for this might be Another word for this might be

camouflage.  camouflage.  Their camouflage makes it hard for Their camouflage makes it hard for

enemies to single out individuals.  enemies to single out individuals.  

Now you see me…Now you see me…now you don’tnow you don’t

Camouflage is a type of adaptation that Camouflage is a type of adaptation that allows animals to blend in with their allows animals to blend in with their surroundings. This adaptation helps surroundings. This adaptation helps protect them from their enemies. protect them from their enemies.

An animal is much better able to "hide" by An animal is much better able to "hide" by blending into its surroundings. On the blending into its surroundings. On the other hand, camouflage also helps a other hand, camouflage also helps a predator "fit in" to its environment so that predator "fit in" to its environment so that it won't be seen very easily as it comes up it won't be seen very easily as it comes up on its prey. on its prey.

The Artic FoxThe Artic Fox Take the Arctic fox. Take the Arctic fox.

During summer During summer months, the Arctic months, the Arctic fox has a brown fox has a brown coat. During winter, coat. During winter, the coat of the the coat of the Arctic fox is white, Arctic fox is white, matching its icy, matching its icy, snowy surroundingssnowy surroundings

Behaviour AdaptationsBehaviour Adaptations Behavioural adaptations include activities Behavioural adaptations include activities

that help an animal survive.  Behaviour that help an animal survive.  Behaviour adaptations can be learned or instinctive adaptations can be learned or instinctive (a behaviour an animal is born with).(a behaviour an animal is born with).

Social behaviour - some animals live by Social behaviour - some animals live by themselves, while other live in groups.  themselves, while other live in groups. 

Behaviour for protection -  An animal's Behaviour for protection -  An animal's behaviour sometimes helps to protect the behaviour sometimes helps to protect the animal.  For instance the opossum plays animal.  For instance the opossum plays dead.  A rabbit freezes when it thinks it dead.  A rabbit freezes when it thinks it has been seen.  has been seen. 

Rocky RaccoonRocky Raccoon Raccoons are a great Raccoons are a great

example of behavioural example of behavioural adaptation in action! In adaptation in action! In their natural forest their natural forest environment, they nest environment, they nest in trees and eat in trees and eat everything from berries everything from berries to fish. They are mostly to fish. They are mostly nocturnal, which means nocturnal, which means they come out at night. they come out at night. As night creatures, they As night creatures, they are not seen by humans are not seen by humans very often. very often.

Those little trouble Those little trouble makers!makers!

For some people living in populated areas, raccoons For some people living in populated areas, raccoons can seem like one of the biggest pests — and it's all can seem like one of the biggest pests — and it's all our fault! As humans destroyed the raccoon's our fault! As humans destroyed the raccoon's natural habitat, these animals have learned to natural habitat, these animals have learned to change their habits — to adapt. change their habits — to adapt.

Instead of nesting in trees, suburban raccoons have Instead of nesting in trees, suburban raccoons have made very comfortable homes in people's attics, made very comfortable homes in people's attics, basements, garages, and storage sheds. Since they basements, garages, and storage sheds. Since they are not picky eaters, they have traded forest food are not picky eaters, they have traded forest food for the delicious leftovers found in our trash. Using for the delicious leftovers found in our trash. Using their grasping hands, they have learned to open their grasping hands, they have learned to open garbage cans and gates, creating quite a problem garbage cans and gates, creating quite a problem for their human hosts! for their human hosts!

MimicryMimicry Mimicry allows one Mimicry allows one

animal to look, animal to look, sound, or act like sound, or act like another animal to another animal to fool predators into fool predators into thinking it is thinking it is poisonous or poisonous or dangerous.  dangerous.  

Bee or “Bee”tleBee or “Bee”tle

What am I?What am I?

Who’s Hiding Here?Who’s Hiding Here?

What’s This?What’s This?

MigrationMigration Migration-is the behavioural adaptation that Migration-is the behavioural adaptation that

involves an animal or group of animals moving involves an animal or group of animals moving from one region to another and then back from one region to another and then back again. again. 

Animals migrate for different reasons:Animals migrate for different reasons:better climate better climate

better food better food safe place to live safe place to live

safe place to raise young safe place to raise young go back to the place they were born. go back to the place they were born.

Canadian GeeseCanadian Geese

HibernationHibernation HibernationHibernation- is a deep sleep in which an animal's - is a deep sleep in which an animal's

body temperature drops to about the temperature of body temperature drops to about the temperature of the environment.  Body activities, such as heartbeat the environment.  Body activities, such as heartbeat and breathing are slowed causing the animal to need and breathing are slowed causing the animal to need very little food. very little food. 

Animals that hibernate are Animals that hibernate are bats  bats 

woodchucks woodchucks snakes  snakes  bears. bears.

During the hibernation the animals live off of the fat During the hibernation the animals live off of the fat that is stored in their body.  that is stored in their body. 

A looooooooooong sleep!A looooooooooong sleep! How would you How would you

survive the long, survive the long, cold winter without cold winter without food? Bears do it in food? Bears do it in a very cool way — a very cool way — hibernation. hibernation.

Animal DefenceAnimal Defence Many animals have developed Many animals have developed

remarkable defences to keep remarkable defences to keep themselves from being eaten.themselves from being eaten.

Grazing animals often feed in herds. Grazing animals often feed in herds. When a predator attacks, the animals When a predator attacks, the animals scatter and run in different directions scatter and run in different directions which confuses the predator and which confuses the predator and allows the animals to escape.allows the animals to escape.

Night Crawlers!Night Crawlers! Some animals are active only at Some animals are active only at

night when it is harder for predators night when it is harder for predators to find themto find them

What kind of adaptations are these?What kind of adaptations are these?

Common SenseCommon Sense Many animals have keen senses of Many animals have keen senses of

sight, smell, and hearing so that they sight, smell, and hearing so that they can detect danger and escape. can detect danger and escape.

Some animals have horns or antlers Some animals have horns or antlers to fight off predators.to fight off predators.

What kind of adaptations are these?What kind of adaptations are these?

CAMOUFLAGECAMOUFLAGE Many animals rely on camouflage or Many animals rely on camouflage or

the ability to blend in with their the ability to blend in with their surroundings to hide from predators. surroundings to hide from predators.

What type is this?What type is this?

That’ll leave a bad taste That’ll leave a bad taste in your mouth in your mouth

A few animals are even poisonous or A few animals are even poisonous or unpleasant-tasting, and predators unpleasant-tasting, and predators soon learn to leave such animals soon learn to leave such animals alone.alone.

These poisonous kinds of animals are These poisonous kinds of animals are often brightly coloured, as well, often brightly coloured, as well, which acts as a warning to predators.which acts as a warning to predators.

Toxic ChemicalsToxic Chemicals Some animals use chemicals which Some animals use chemicals which

they spray from various parts of their they spray from various parts of their bodies to deter predators. bodies to deter predators.

What type are these?What type are these?

Shark!!!Shark!!! If you look at a shark, you will see it has a If you look at a shark, you will see it has a

number of special adaptations that allow number of special adaptations that allow it to fit into an ocean environment. A it to fit into an ocean environment. A shark has fins and a streamlined body shark has fins and a streamlined body that help it swim through water. It has that help it swim through water. It has gills, which take in oxygen directly out of gills, which take in oxygen directly out of the water. Because of its gills, sharks can the water. Because of its gills, sharks can stay underwater and not have to come to stay underwater and not have to come to the surface to breathe. the surface to breathe.

Sharp Teeth!Sharp Teeth! Sharks also have a Sharks also have a

tremendous number of sharp tremendous number of sharp teeth, which make them teeth, which make them fierce predators. In fact, if a fierce predators. In fact, if a shark accidentally breaks a shark accidentally breaks a tooth while chomping down tooth while chomping down on something, the tooth is on something, the tooth is almost immediately replaced almost immediately replaced by another tooth growing in by another tooth growing in the jaw. With all these special the jaw. With all these special adaptations, sharks do really adaptations, sharks do really well in the ocean, but it well in the ocean, but it would be very hard for a would be very hard for a shark to survive in the shark to survive in the Sahara Desert! Sahara Desert!

Can you see the frog?Can you see the frog?

Can you see this toad?Can you see this toad?

What’s This?What’s This?

Two famous color-shifters are the octopus and the Two famous color-shifters are the octopus and the chameleon. Each of these animals can change its shades not chameleon. Each of these animals can change its shades not only to improve its camouflage but also as a way of showing only to improve its camouflage but also as a way of showing emotion or mood.  In this picture, the bright green color of the emotion or mood.  In this picture, the bright green color of the chameleon on the left is telling the other chameleon “This is chameleon on the left is telling the other chameleon “This is MY branch—buzz off!” The skin of the other chameleon turns a MY branch—buzz off!” The skin of the other chameleon turns a dull gray shade, which means “Oops, sorry, pal—my mistake!”dull gray shade, which means “Oops, sorry, pal—my mistake!”

THE END!!!THE END!!!