Animal Adaptations This is our ‘early mammal’. You will be selecting adaptations to add to our mammal in order to help it survive in its habitat. Which adaptations will suit it best?

Choose 5 adaptations – but choose wisely! Large eyes Large ears Sharp canine teeth Camouflage fur Whiskers Claws Thick fur Strong running legs Large grinding molars Horns Small ears 360⁰ Vision Long tongue Thick skin Strong climbing legs Spines

Just born! You’ve just been born and are very vulnerable! Predators are around and you need to protect yourself. Gain 30 points if you have camouflage. Gain 10 points if you have thick skin. Gain 5 points if you have thick fur. Otherwise loose 30 points.

Exploring your surroundings You’re old enough to start venturing out on your own now. What do you have to sense your environment? Gain 20 points for large eyes. Gain 20 points for large ears. Gain 20 points for whiskers. Gain 10 points for a long tongue.

So thirsty! You will need water to survive. How can you find or collect some? Gain 10 points if you have whiskers. Gain 10 points if you have a long tongue. Gain 40 points if you have both. Otherwise, lose 20 points.

Hunting for food. You now need to find and catch your own food. Is your body adapted to do this? Gain 10 points for any of the following: Claws, sharp teeth, Strong running legs, strong climbing legs and long tongue. Loose 5 points for each you don’t have.

Food running low…Salad time! You’re prey is running low in numbers. You’re forced to eat plants instead. What adaptations do you have to do this? Gain 30 points for having grinding molars. Gain 10 points for having climbing legs. Otherwise, lose 20 points.

Predator nearby! A ferocious predator is nearby hunting! How can you avoid them? Gain 20 points for having climbing legs. Gain 10 points for having camouflage. Gain 5 points for thick fur. Otherwise lose 20 points.

Predator attack! Argh! The predator has spotted you and is attacking! How can you defend yourself!? Gain 10 points for having each of the following: horns, thick skin and spines. Gain 20 points for strong running legs. Lose 5 for each adaptation you don’t have.

Brrrrr! Cold winter! Its approaching the end of the year and the winter is approaching. How can you keep warm? Gain 20 points for having thick fur. Gain 10 points for having small ears. Gain 5 points for having camouflage fur.

Fight! Fight! Fight! Another of your species is trying to move into your shelter! You need to fight them off! Gain 10 points if you have horns. Gain 5 points if you have thick skin. Gain 5 points if you have sharp canines or claws.

Finding a mate. Well done on surviving so long! Now you must reproduce and pass these adaptations along. How can you find a mate? Loose 40 points if you are camouflaged. Gain 10 points if you have any of the following: large eyes, 360⁰ vision, large ears or horns.

Did you survive? If you got a score of 80 or more, then congratulations! You’re a survivor! Its important to remember though, that if conditions in your habitat were different, the game would result in different sets of adaptations winning. If we had repeated droughts, like you would in a desert environment, then different adaptations would have had a much greater chance of survival and reproduction.