Animal Adaptations
Special features that help animals survive in their environment.
What is it?
Animals have adaptations that help them find food, avoid danger, and live in their habitat. Adaptations can be body parts (like long legs), behaviors (like hunting in groups), or colors (like camouflage). The Secretary Bird has long legs to walk through grass and strong feet to kick snakes. The dwarf mongoose lives in groups to help protect each other and find food. This social behavior is an adaptation that helps them survive. The cactus longhorn beetle has a hard shell to protect from the sun and predators, and it gets water from the cactus it eats. The Garden Fruit Chafer has bright colors that may warn predators it tastes bad, and its larvae have strong jaws to chew dead leaves underground. Darkling beetles have adaptations for dry environments: a hard shell to reduce water loss, the ability to eat dry plant matter, and some species can collect dew on their backs for hydration. Pelicans have several adaptations: a long beak with a stretchy pouch to scoop up fish, webbed feet for swimming, and they often hunt in groups. The Yellow-footed Tortoise has a hard shell for protection, strong legs for walking on the forest floor, and a diet of fruits and leaves.
Why it matters
Studying adaptations helps us understand how animals live and how they evolved to fit their environments.
Where you've seen it
This list grows as you capture more exhibits about animal adaptations.
Related
动物适应
帮助动物在环境中生存的特殊特征。
这是什么？
动物有适应能力，帮助它们寻找食物、躲避危险并在栖息地生活。适应可以是身体部位（如长腿）、行为（如群体捕猎）或颜色（如伪装）。秘书鸟有长腿可以在草丛中行走，还有强壮的脚来踢蛇。侏獴群居生活，互相保护并寻找食物。这种社会行为是一种帮助它们生存的适应。仙人掌长角甲虫有坚硬的外壳来保护自己免受阳光和捕食者的伤害，并从它吃的仙人掌中获取水分。花园果金龟有鲜艳的颜色，可能警告捕食者它味道不好，它的幼虫有强壮的下颚来咀嚼地下的枯叶。拟步甲有适应干燥环境的特征：坚硬的外壳减少水分流失，能吃干燥的植物物质，有些物种可以在背上收集露水以补充水分。鹈鹕有几种适应：长喙带有弹性囊来舀鱼，有蹼的脚便于游泳，并且经常群体捕猎。黄脚陆龟有坚硬的外壳保护，强壮的腿在森林地面上行走，以水果和叶子为食。
为什么重要
研究适应帮助我们理解动物如何生活以及它们如何进化以适应环境。
你在哪里见过
当你捕捉更多关于动物适应的展品时，这个列表会增长。