Living Things and Their Living Things and Their HabitatsHabitats

Do you recognize these big Do you recognize these big furry fellows?furry fellows?

Yes, they are polar Yes, they are polar bears. They live bears. They live near the North Pole. near the North Pole.

What’s the weather What’s the weather like there? Brrr! like there? Brrr! It’s cold, It’s cold, cold,cold, cold cold. . Look at what’s all Look at what’s all around the polar around the polar bear: ice and snow, bear: ice and snow, and lots of it!and lots of it!

The polar bear lives where it’s The polar bear lives where it’s cold and icy all the time.cold and icy all the time.

He doesn’t seem to He doesn’t seem to mind the cold mind the cold weather. Look at weather. Look at him again. See his him again. See his thick, furry coat? thick, furry coat? With all that thick With all that thick fur, he stays pretty fur, he stays pretty cozy, even at the cozy, even at the North Pole.North Pole.

Now, imagine that the polar Now, imagine that the polar bear goes on vacation…bear goes on vacation…

Of course, you and I Of course, you and I know that bears know that bears

don’t take vacations, don’t take vacations, but let’s pretend. but let’s pretend. Let’s say that the Let’s say that the

polar bear goes on a polar bear goes on a golfing trip to Hawaii. golfing trip to Hawaii. What would our big, What would our big, furry friend think of furry friend think of the sunny, sandy the sunny, sandy

beaches of Hawaii?beaches of Hawaii?

TOO HOT!!TOO HOT!!You might like the hot, sunny You might like the hot, sunny

beach, but…beach, but…Polar bears are not Polar bears are not adapted to living in adapted to living in such hot weather. Their such hot weather. Their thick fur makes them thick fur makes them too hot!too hot!

If you’ve ever been If you’ve ever been swimming at the swimming at the beach, you probably beach, you probably changed your clothes changed your clothes and put on a bathing and put on a bathing suit. The polar bear suit. The polar bear can’t take off his fur to can’t take off his fur to change!change!

Poor Polar Bear!Poor Polar Bear!He wouldn’t enjoy a trip to He wouldn’t enjoy a trip to warm, sunny Hawaii. It’s a warm, sunny Hawaii. It’s a lovely place, but not for him. lovely place, but not for him. It’s not his It’s not his habitathabitat..

He likes the cold, icy waters He likes the cold, icy waters that have delicious that have delicious

and and

What’s a Habitat?What’s a Habitat?A habitat is the place where A habitat is the place where an animal lives, eats, an animal lives, eats, sleeps, makes its home and sleeps, makes its home and has babies and gets its food has babies and gets its food and water from. and water from. But it’s not But it’s not just just any any kind of place. kind of place.

An animal’s habitat is a An animal’s habitat is a special place that has special place that has everything it needs: the everything it needs: the right kind of food, the right right kind of food, the right kind of shelter, and the kind of shelter, and the right kind of water.right kind of water.

Plants have habitats, too.Plants have habitats, too.

Are These The Correct Habitats?Are These The Correct Habitats?A fish that swims in water A fish that swims in water couldn’t possibly survive in the couldn’t possibly survive in the mountains, could it? No, it mountains, could it? No, it would die because it needs water would die because it needs water to help it breath. to help it breath. Mountains are Mountains are not a fish’s habitat.not a fish’s habitat.

Could a cactus live in a swamp? Could a cactus live in a swamp? Of course not-the swamp has too Of course not-the swamp has too much water. Cacti like dry land. much water. Cacti like dry land. Swamps are not a cacti’s habitat.Swamps are not a cacti’s habitat.

Would a worm that crawls Would a worm that crawls through the moist, rich soil of through the moist, rich soil of the forest be happy living in the the forest be happy living in the hot, sandy desert? Of course hot, sandy desert? Of course not, it would dry up and die. not, it would dry up and die. The The desert is not the worm’s habitat.desert is not the worm’s habitat.

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Different animals live in Different animals live in different habitats.different habitats.