Animal Adaptations

Written by Cara Torrance

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Contents

Animals Everywhere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Jerboa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Roadrunner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Honey Badger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Poison Dart Frog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Galapagos Marine Iguana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Platypus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Arctic Fox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Macaroni Penguin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Amazing Adaptations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

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These animals can live in extreme environments because of features called adaptations .

Animals Everywhere

Animals live everywhere on Earth . They live where it is very hot or very cold . They live where it is very dry, very wet or even salty . They live in polar regions and rainforests . They live in deserts, and in rivers and oceans .

Animals that are able to live in such extreme environments have adapted over time . They have been able to develop features that allow them to survive in these places . Their adaptations keep them cool or warm . They help them find food or shelter, or escape from predators . They allow them to continue as a species in harsh environments .

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Jerboa

The jerboa is a small rodent-like animal . It lives in both the hot and cold desert areas of northern Africa, the Middle East and Asia . In these places, it is very dry and the extreme heat or cold makes life hard .

Plants eaten by the jerboa provide it with both food and water .

Where the Jerboa is Found

Key

Northern Africa

Asia

Middle East

North AfricaMiddle EastAsia

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The jerboa has special adaptations that allow it to survive in the desert . It is nocturnal . It also burrows underground to escape both extreme heat and cold . It blocks the entrance of the burrow to keep the temperature below ground more stable .

The jerboa is a little like a small kangaroo . It has long hind legs for jumping and digging . It has small forearms that are good for digging burrows . The hairs on its feet provide grip so it can move easily through soft sand . The hairs also protect against the hot sand . Jerboas have large ears and eyes to help them stay alert when they are outside . These features help them hear and see predators in the dark . Their tails keep them balanced as they hop away from danger .

The jerboa is adapted for life in both hot and cold desert environments .

large ears for good hearing

large eyes to see at night

long tail to help with balance

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