Animal Adaptations

Objectives

• 3.4 The student will investigate and understand that behavioral and physical adaptations allow animals to respond to life needs. Key concepts include:– hibernation, migration, camouflage, mimicry,

instinct, and learned behavior.

What is adaptation?

• Special features that help an animal to survive in its environment.

• Physical adaptation: Bodily structures that help with survival.

• Behavioral adaptation: Something that an animal does to survive.

Physical adaptations• Type of body covering: fur, feathers, scales• Color: patterns, match surroundings• Body part: beak, antlers, ears, claws• Defenses: venom, spray, quills

Camouflage• Color or pattern of an animal that helps it to

blend in with its surroundings.• Helps the animal to find food or hide from its

enemies.

Mimicry

• Looking or sounding like another animal or object to help an animal hide.

Behavioral Adaptations

• Anything that an animal does in order to survive.

• Some behaviors are learned: they must be taught how to do it.

• Other behaviors are instinct: they are born knowing how to do it.

Hibernation

• Hibernation is an instinctive behavior.• It is a response to cold weather.• Animals go into a sleep state to survive the

cold winter.

Migration

• Migration is an instinctive behavior.• Migration is travelling from one place to

another when the seasons change.• All types of animals migrate!