1. Animal Adaptations

2. VOCABULARY Environment
External conditions affecting the life and survival of an organism. Includes abiotic and biotic factors. Examples include:
Competition
Process by which organisms contend for limited resources.

3. Adaptation
a structure or behavior that helps an organism better survive and reproduce in its environment.
Variation
Differences between individual organisms of the same species. Because of variation, some members of a species are better adapted to their environment.
Natural Selection
Only the best adapted survive and reproduce. The genes that made them the best adapted are then passed on to the next generation. Over time, more and more members of the species will have these “better” traits.

4. What is an adaptation?
An adaptation is a change in an animal’s physical structure or behavior that helps an animal to survive in their habitat.
Examples: The shape of a bird’s beak, number of fingers and toes, or the color of an animal’s fur.
Adaptations do not develop during one lifetime, but over many generations.
Two types of adaptations… PHYSICAL and BEHAVIORAL

5. Physical adaptations
Body structures that allow an animal to find and consume food, defend itself, and to reproduce

6. Examples of Physical Adaptations
1. The shape of an animal’s teeth is related to its diet.
Herbivores, such as deer, have molars (flat surfaces) for chewing tough grass and plants.
Carnivores, such as lions, have sharp canines to kill and tear meat.

7. 2. Animal Defenses
Some animals use these methods of defense to protect themselves:
Camouflage
Horseshoe hare, arctic fox
Mimicry
Mexican Milk Snake
Chemical Defenses
Skunks, Octopi
Bright colors
Poison Arrow Frog
“Hair” projections
Hedgehog quills
Deer Antlers

8. Protective Coloration
Coloration and protective resemblance allow an animal to blend into its environment. 
Another word for this is camouflage.  Their camouflage makes it hard for enemies to single out individuals.  

9. Mimicry
Mimicry allows one animal to look, sound, or act like another animal to fool predators into thinking it is poisonous or dangerous.  
Coral snake (left) very poinsonous & Milk snake (right)

10. (looking or sounding like another living organism)
Physical adaptation
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!

11. Behaviour adaptations
Behaviour adaptations include activities that help an animal survive. 
Behaviour adaptations can be learned or instinctive.
Behavior adaptations include activities that help an animal survive.  Behavior adaptations can be learned or instinctive. (a behavior an animal is born with).
Social behavior - some animals live by themselves, while other live in groups. 
Behavior for protection -  An animal's behavior sometimes helps to protect the animal.  For instance the opossum plays dead.  A rabbit freezes when it thinks it has been seen. 

12. Migration
This is a behavioural adaptation that involves an animal or group of animals moving from one region to another and then back again.
 Animals migrate for different reasons. 
better climate
better food
safe place to live
safe place to raise young
go back to the place they were born.
Migration-is the behavioral adaptation that involves an animal or group of animals moving from one region to another and then back again. 
Animals migrate for different reasons.  The reasons are as follows.
better climate
better food
safe place to live
safe place to raise young
go back to the place they were born.

13. Hibernation
This is deep sleep in which animal’s body temperature drops and body activities are slowed to conserve energy.
Examples: bats, woodchucks & bears.
Hibernation- is a deep sleep in which an animal's body temperature drops to about the temperature of the environment.  Body activities, such as heartbeat and breathing are slowed causing the animal to need very little food. 
Animals that hibernate are 
bats 
woodchucks
snakes 
bears.
During the hibernation the animals live off of the fat that is stored in their body. 

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.