1. Animal Adaptations

2. What is ecology?
The study of the interactions that take place among organisms and their environment

3. Adaptations

4. How do adaptations help animals survive in their environment?
An adaptation is a body part or behavior that helps an animal survive in a particular environment.
Adaptation can help an animal breathe, catch food, or hide.
All animals are adapted to live in certain habitats.
Animals that cannot adapt will die out.

5. We can separate adaptations into two categories:
Physical
Adaptations
AND
Behavioral

6. Physical adaptations are
body structures that allow an animal to find and consume food, defend itself, and to reproduce its species.
help an animal survive in its environment.
Hey! I’m a walking stick. I look just like a stick you’d find on the ground.
© A. Weinberg

7. Camouflage (use of color in a surrounding)
Physical adaptation
Camouflage (use of color in a surrounding)
The chameleon can change its color to match its surroundings. Can you do that?

8. Physical adaptations Mimicry
(looking or sounding like another living organism)
The Viceroy butterfly uses mimicry to look like the Monarch butterfly. Can you tell them apart?
I’m the Viceroy!
Not poisonous
Poisonous
I’m the Monarch!

9. Chemical defenses (like venom, ink, sprays)
Physical adaptation
Chemical defenses (like venom, ink, sprays)

10. Physical adaptations
Body coverings & parts (claws, beaks, feet, armor plates, skulls, teeth)
The elephant’s trunk is a physical adaptation that helps it to clean itself, eat, drink, and to pick things up.

11. Behavioral Adaptations allow animals to respond to life needs.

12. Behavioral Adaptations are animals’ actions.
Remember that Physical Adaptations are body structures.
Each organism has unique methods of adapting to its environment by means of different actions.

13. Homeostasis
Maintenance of constant internal conditions in the face of a varying external environment.
Examples:
The thickening of fur in winter.
The seeking of shade in heat.
The production of more red blood cells at high altitude.

14. Endotherms vs. Ectotherms

15. Endotherms
Endotherms are animals that warm their bodies mainly from their own metabolism.
We call these animals warm-blooded.
Maintain a constant body temperature regardless of changes in the surrounding temperature

16. How do endothems adapt?
Fat layers, fur, and feathers insulate the body and retain heat.
Shivering muscles contract to increase body heat.
Some animals hibernate. Hibernation enables animals to survive long periods of cold and lack of food.

17. Ectotherms
Ectotherms are animals that warm their bodies by absorbing heat from their surroundings.
We call these animals cold-blooded
Body temperature fluctuates with changes in the surrounding temperature.

18. How do ectotherms adapt?
Most marine fish and invertebrates, however, live in water that stays the same temperature.
When the weather is warm, they become active. They slow down when the temperature drops.
To warm up, reptiles find sunny places, and stretch out for maximum exposure. If it gets too warm, lizards alternate between sun and shade.
Amphibians warm up by moving into the sun or diving into warm water. They cool off by entering the shade.

19. Example of Adaptation
The shape of an animal’s teeth is related to its diet.
Herbivores, such as deer, have many molars for chewing tough grass and plants.
Carnivores, such as lions, have sharp canines to kill and tear meat.

20. Who experiences adaptations?
All species have experienced adaptation and will continue to slowly adapt as the next generations are born.
We will identify certain species from each of these groups and the reasons for their success:
Mammals
Birds
Reptiles
Amphibians

21. Mammals Endothermic or warm-blooded All have some type of “hair”
Some are very specialized, such as white polar bear fur
Method of locomotion
Care for young

22. Birds Leg Length Foot Webbing Beak Shape Roseate Spoonbill (top right)
Laughing Gull (top left)
Beak Shape
Long Billed Curlew (bottom)

23. Reptiles Ectothermic or cold- blooded Scales
Some undergo hibernation and estivation
Lay eggs on land
Leg structure and position

24. Amphibians Ectothermic Lay eggs in water
Partially of fully webbed feet
Have lungs or can absorb oxygen through their skin

25. Animal Defense
Some animals use these methods of defense to protect themselves:
Camouflage
Snake
Mimicry
Mexican Milk Snake
Bright colors
Skunk and Poison Arrow Frog
“Hair” projections
Hedgehog quills
Deer Antlers

26. Adaptation Applications: Lions
Why are the eyes of a lion set in front of the head rather than on the sides?
Answer: Eyes in front of the head allow for depth perception and ability to judge distances when hunting.

27. Adaptation Applications: Lions
What is the purpose of the mane on a male lion? What is the reason for the lion’s color?
A thick mane helps the male to appear larger and serves as protection for the throat. The tawny brown coat color camouflages the animal and young among vegetation.

28. Adaptation Applications: Giraffe
Why are giraffes able to go for long periods of time without water?
Answer: Giraffes drink water when available, but can go weeks without it. They rely on morning dew and the water content of their food.

29. Adaptation Applications: Giraffe
How are their long necks adapted to their lifestyle?
Answer: This extra length is thought to have evolved to help the giraffe spot predators and other giraffes in the distance. Interestingly, giraffes and humans have the same number of vertebrate in their necks.

30. Adaptation Applications: Zebras
How do zebras defend themselves?
Capable of running up to 40 mph. Zebras defend themselves by kicking and biting. Coloration also plays a role in evading predators, although theories have not reached an agreement.

31. Resources
This PowerPoint is partially adapted from Ms. Weinberg. The original PowerPoint can be viewed at
It is also partially adapted from an animal adaptation powerpoint created by City of Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History the original can be viewed at