Animal Adaptations

Week 6 Seminar – SC300Instructor: Rochelle Troyano

What is an adaptation?

Anything that helps an organism to survive and successfully reproduce in its environment.

REPRODUCING is the important part!

The Types of Animal Adaptations are:

1. Structural Adaptations2. Protective Coloration or Camouflage3. Mimicry4. Behavioral Adaptations

a. Migrationb. Hibernation

Structural Adaptations

This involves a part of the animal’s body, such as size or shape of the teeth, it’s body covering, or the

way it moves

Structural Adaptations

The African Lion – (Panthera leo)

Structural Adaptations

Beaver (Castor canadensis)

Structural Adaptations

Giraffe – (Camelopardalis

reticulata)

Structural AdaptationsPolar Bears

(Ursus Maritimus )

Structural Adaptations

Caribou (Rangifer tarandus )

Structural Adaptations

Moose (Alces alces)

Protective Coloration (Camouflage)

Camouflage helps an organism blend in with its surroundings. Camouflage can be colors or patterns or both. When organisms are camouflaged, they are harder to find. 

Protective Coloration (Camouflage)

•Blending into areas with light and shadow or with background

Protective Coloration (Camouflage)

Blending into the Background

Snow-shoe Hare (Lepus americanus)

Protective Coloration (Camouflage)

Blending into the Background

Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus )

Protective Coloration (Camouflage)

Blending into the Background

Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus )

Protective Coloration (Camouflage)

Blending into the Background

A canyon tree frog on a canyon wall (left) and a desert horned

lizard on a sandy riverbed.

Protective Coloration (Counter Shading)

Different colors on their backs and stomachs. 

Mimicry

Some animals and plants look like other things -- they mimic them. It can protect the mimic from predators or hide the mimic from prey.

Mimicry

Mimicry

The Moth Caterpillar looks like a snake

MimicryThis lizard looks like a tree trunk

This katydid, like a leaf

This Polyphemus moth looks like it has fierce

eyes!

Behavioral AdaptationsSocial Behavior - Some animals live by

themselves, while other live in groups.

Behavioral Adaptations

Living in Groups

Behavioral Adaptations

Migration

Migration-is a 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.

Migration

Canada Geese

Arctic terns can migrate as far as 20,000 miles per year.

Migration

The sandhill and whooping cranes are both capable of migrating as far as 2,500 miles per year, and the barn swallow more than 6,000 miles.

Hibernation

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.

Hibernation

Let’s Try to Adapt!

When I say go…….Talk about the weather with your classmates for 5

minutes.Don’t use any words with the letter “e”

How Hard Was It?

Compare with a changing environment Is our environment changing now? What species will stay around and which will

not?

Questions?