AdaptationsAdaptations

What is an adaptation?What is an adaptation?

Any body part, body covering, or Any body part, body covering, or behavior that helps an animal live in behavior that helps an animal live in its environment is an adaptation.its environment is an adaptation.

Body CoveringsBody Coverings

There are different kinds of body There are different kinds of body coverings that help an animal coverings that help an animal survive.survive.

SkinSkin ScalesScales FeathersFeathers FurFur

SkinSkin

Skin is the outer covering of an Skin is the outer covering of an animal’s body.animal’s body.

It helps protect the organs.It helps protect the organs. It also helps keep the correct body It also helps keep the correct body

temperature of some animals.temperature of some animals. Skin can hold or release water as Skin can hold or release water as

needed.needed.

Body CoveringsBody Coverings

Body coverings Body coverings help protect body help protect body organs.organs.

How does an armadillo’s body covering help it survive?

How does this lion’s fur help it How does this lion’s fur help it survive?survive?

The lion has thick The lion has thick fur around its fur around its neck where neck where injuries could be injuries could be very serious.very serious.

How does fur help this animal How does fur help this animal survive?survive?

The polar bear’s fur is very thick which helps it survive in its cold environment.

ScalesScales

Scales are small thin plates that Scales are small thin plates that cover the skin of most fish and all cover the skin of most fish and all reptiles.reptiles.

ScalesScales Fish scales can Fish scales can

be smooth, rough be smooth, rough or pointed.or pointed.

Fish scales are Fish scales are slippery.slippery.

They help the fish They help the fish glide through the glide through the water.water.

ScalesScales

Snakes have Snakes have scales that are scales that are dry.dry.

Most snakes Most snakes have scales that have scales that overlap and overlap and stretch apart stretch apart when it moves.when it moves.

FeathersFeathers

Feathers are a strong, lightweight Feathers are a strong, lightweight outer covering of birds.outer covering of birds.

Down feathers keep the bird’s body Down feathers keep the bird’s body at the correct temperature.at the correct temperature.

Some body parts are for Some body parts are for getting food.getting food.

An eagle’s talons are sharp and strong. This allows the eagle to hang on to its prey.

Adaptations in Body PartsAdaptations in Body Parts

Tell how each of the following Tell how each of the following animals uses special body parts to animals uses special body parts to help it get food or protect itself.help it get food or protect itself.

BeaverBeaver

Snowshoe RabbitSnowshoe Rabbit

HawkHawk

MouthpartsMouthparts

An animal’s mouth can be an An animal’s mouth can be an adaptation also. adaptation also.

Look at the following pictures and tell Look at the following pictures and tell how that animal’s mouth is an how that animal’s mouth is an adaptation for the kind of food it adaptation for the kind of food it eats.eats.

PelicanPelican

HeronHeron

FinchFinch

GooseGoose

Special AdaptationsSpecial Adaptations

What kind of What kind of adaptation is this adaptation is this animal using?animal using?

CamouflageCamouflage

Being able to blend into the Being able to blend into the environment is an adaptation called environment is an adaptation called camouflage. camouflage.

Camouflage helps an animal hide Camouflage helps an animal hide from predators or from prey.from predators or from prey.

What kind of adaptation is this shark using?What kind of adaptation is this shark using?

CountershadingCountershading

Countershading is an adaptation in which the top Countershading is an adaptation in which the top side of an animal is a different color from the side of an animal is a different color from the bottom.bottom.

Most fish have this adaptation.Most fish have this adaptation. When seen from below, the fish blend with the When seen from below, the fish blend with the

water’s surface and the sky. When seen from water’s surface and the sky. When seen from above, they blend with the bottom of the lake, above, they blend with the bottom of the lake, river or ocean.river or ocean.

This animal is has an adaptation. What is it?This animal is has an adaptation. What is it?

Warning ColorationWarning Coloration

Some animals have bright colors to Some animals have bright colors to make them stand out. make them stand out.

The colors tell predators, “I might be The colors tell predators, “I might be dangerous!”dangerous!”

MimicryMimicry

Mimicry is when one animal looks Mimicry is when one animal looks like a more dangerous one.like a more dangerous one.

Predators are fooled by the way the Predators are fooled by the way the animal looks and they leave it alone.animal looks and they leave it alone.

Look at these animals that use Look at these animals that use mimicry.mimicry.

The viceroy mimics (copies) the monarch butterfly which is poisonous if eaten.

Monarch butterfly

MimicryMimicry

The king snake mimics the coral snake which is poisonous.

Coral snake