4 Adaptation in Animals

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Learn about How are they simila
Look at these pictures.
Classification of and different?
animals
. Adaptation to
Environment (Habitat)
Adaptation for
Protectioon
Adaptation for Food
Camouflage
Endangered animals

Classification of Animals
There are several types of animals on Earth.
They have different featu
that help them to survive. In this chapter, we will
learn about various
animals and some adaptions that they
develop
for survival.
Based on body structure
Real world (
Animals can be classified into two groups:
animals with backbones called vertebrates The
and animals without backbones called of
backbone is
mad
invertebrates. The body of an invertebrate
a
series of bones
vertebrae that aresta
may be soft as they have no bones but may
have a hard outer covering.
together
called
to forma cc
the spinal colL
44
Vertebrates
Vertebrates may be classified as
mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and
amphibians.
1. Mammals: Mammals are animals that give
birth to young ones of their own kind and
suckle them. They have hair or fur as an
outer covering that keeps them warm and
Word power
suckle: produce milk to
protects them from any skin injury.
feed the babies.
Aquatic mammals like dolphins and
whales breathe through their
lungs and come up to the
surface to take in air. Real world (
Marsupials like kangaroos
and koalas give birth
to small worm-like new
borns that crawl into their
mothers' pouch to
Suckle and grow.
They remain there
till they start looking
like adults.

Cow with its calf

Birds: Birds are special as they are the only

animals with an outer covering of feathers.
They also have wings and light hollow bones.
Most birds can fly. Some birds like penguin,
ostrich and kiwi called flightless birds
are
as they cannot
fly. Like mammals, birds
are also
warm-blooded and breathe through
their lungs.
Pigeon
Look it up!
What is an egg
Talk about
tooth in a bird? Why do birds need sharp eyesight?
 nave scales coverl
3. Fish: Fish live in
water. They ha and
their bodies. They breathe their gills

use fins to swim.

through anim
s,
Fish are cold-blooded
with
the

which means their temperature changes

change in temperature in the water. Fish

both land
A
4. Amphibians: Amphibians can live Their
on
bodies
are

and water. They have moist skin. st

hair, fur, scales or
feathers. M
hot covered with
lungs or skin. Froß>
Or them breathe through their
Salamanders and toads are
amphibians. Frog

Real world

live in water and breathe

salamanders
Some live on land
while others
through their gills,
lunggs.
and breathe through

Their bodi
live on land. They
have dry skin.
Most reptiles cold-blooded animals. They brea
5. Reptiles: scales. Lhey are a
covered with Snakes, lizards and crocodiles
are eggs.
their lungs and lay throug
surface to breathe throus
the surface
through c o m e up to
reptiles
Aquatic
reptiles.
their lungs.
Real world

Turtle's shell is connecte

its backbones. So, it car
fall out of its shell.
 Invertebrates
Insects, slugs, snails, spiders,
2re all invertebrates. An worms and ants
insect's body has a
Outer covering called hard
have six
exoskeleton. All insects
legs, three body parts (head,
abdomen), two eyes and two antennaethorax and
Some insects have wings. (feelers).
Grasshopper
Real world (
Spiders are not insects. Spiders are known as
arachnids becau they have only two body segments
instead of three. They have eight legs and no wings.
They have two eyes but no antennae or feelers.
Other arachnids are scorpions, mites, and ticks.
Spider

Knowledge check
Choose the correct answers.
1. Animals with a backbone are called (vertebrates/invertebrates).
2. Animals that can live on both land and water are. (fish/amphibians)-
3. Reptiles breathe through (gills/lungs).
(warm/cold) blooded animals.
4. Mammals are.

Adaptation to Environment (Habitat)

environment they live in. They
We can classify animals according to the
arboreal, aerial and amphibians.
can be divided into terrestrial, aquatic,
themselves too
Just like plants, animals adapt
their surroundingsS.

Terrestrial animals
are called
terrestrial
Animals that live on land
features suitable for life on
animals. They have mountains,
land. The conditions vary from
living Polar bear

plains and deserts to polar regions.

 OD a

1
Polar regions are ve
nere, like the polarextremely Cold. Animals that
bear, Arctic foxes and walrusse
have thick hair to
them warm. Penguins, ceals,
eals,
walruses and polar keep
bearss have a thick layer fat
under their skin called blubber to protect themmfrom
extreme cold.
Walrus
Food is difficult to find the
animals
bear, frogs and snakes prefer to sleep during IIKE
in winter, So,
the
Winter season. This
winter sleep is called hibernau
MOuntain goats and yaks living in the mountains al
have thick coats of fur and strong hooves to wain
along the mountain slopes.
Some animals like lizards and snails sleep
throusB Yak
the summer months to save water and escape the
heat. This long summer sleep is called aestivation.
Some animals that live in very cold places move
to warmer places in search of food. This is called
migration. After the winter months, they return to
their homes.
Snail

Real world (
Let us look at the special features oT a camel that help it adapt itself
to the desert environment.
A camel's fat-filled hump provIdes eierey auring the long periods when it
does not have access to food or water
It has two rows of long eyelashes that protects
and the sun.
it against blowing sand
closed to keep out blowing
Its nostrils can be
sand.
It has long strong legs that help to carry hea
loads over long distances and keep its body
body
from the hot sand,
further away
The broad,
flat and leathery pads at the bott
of its hooves
prevent the camel from sinkina
into the sand.
Aquatic animals
Animals that live in water are called aquatic animals.
Most aquatic animals have fins or paddle-like
flippers that help them to swim. Most aquatic
animals breathe through their gills except dolphins
and whales that breathe through lungs. Fish, turtles,
seahorses, penguins, octopuses and crabs are
Turtle
aquatic animals.

Sharp eyes for hunting Sharp bill for

fish under water catching fish

Thick feathers to
Webbed feet for - retain the body heat
Swimming and keep warmn

Penguin

Amphibians
Animals like frogs,toads and salamanders
land and water are called
that can live both on
that help them
have lungs
amphibians. They Frog
that helps
to breathe on land and moist skin Webbed
feet
breathein water.
themto
hind (back)
Frogs and toads have strong and webbed Did you know
them to jump
legs that enable do not drink
water
swim in water. Frogs
feet that help them to absorb it directly
they
as
through their skin.

49
 animals
Arborealal anim
Land
arboreal called
animals thatat live
mostly on trees are
muscular
of
animals.
limbs They mostiy
have
have sharp claws and strong
trees. to sha
the Climb
climb up and down the branches
Monkeys
branches. tails to hang on to
use their ana
arboreal animals.
Koalas, monkeys and squirrels are
monkeys and
>
Aerial animals
Animals that fly Squirre
lot and Real world
of time in
the air
spend a
aerial animals. are called
The shape of Bats are the only mammals
their body,
hollow and can
tha
and light bones fly. The scientific name of
strong wings help them to bats is Chiroptera (cheir
fly. All birds hand and pteron means
means
ones except the flightless
(like kiwi, emu, wing)
ostrich) are penguins,
aerial animals.
Bats and insects also
this family. belong to

Adaptation for Protection

Some animals show adaptation to protect
or when in danger. themselves from their enem
Some herbivorous animals like
zebras, deer, rabbits and antelopes Elephants and rhinoceros
have strong legs that help them
thick skins that
from heat. protect the
t orun away from the enemy
very fast.

7ebra
Crabs,turtles, tortoises and
clams have hard shells to Cockroaches and beetles
protect their soft bodies have a hard outer body for
protection.

Tortoise
Beetle
A porcupine has sharp quills to A rhinoceros has a horn
protect itself. as weapon.

Porcupine Rhinoceros

Some animals like hyenas, Animals like cuttlefish and

elephants and fish stay in squids release an inky fluid
groups for safety. when attacked.

Cuttlefish
Hyenas
Wasps and scorpions stingthe
Skunks release a strong bad themselves
enemies to protect
smell to keep their enemies away.

(Wasp
Skunk
 Adaptation for Food h a b i t s
into
in
food

to
their
es.
p a r a s i t e s

Animals can also be classified according and

nerbivores, carnivores, omnivores,

a v e n g e r s

Herbivores have sharp

They
plants. grinding
Herbivores the animals that eat only
are
hind
t e e t h for
Tront teeth for biting and cutting, and strong
their food.

Deer Cow Sheep

Carnivores
Carnivores are the animals that eat
flesh.They are also called predators
and the animals that they hunt, kill and
eat are called prey. They have long,
sharp, curved and pointed teeth to tear
flesh and broad hind teeth to chew
flesh and bones.

Lion
Tiger
 Omnivores

Omnivores are animals that

eat both plants and animals.

Bear

Crow

Scavengers
Scavengers are animals that feed on dead animals. By doing this
they, clean the Earth of organic garbage.

Hyena
Vulture

Parasites
Parasites are animals that live in or on another living thing and get
their foodfrom
blood for food.
them. Lice and fleas live on a host body and suck its

Flea Louse
Camouflage
The colour with the
and shape of some them
merge

Surrounding animals help

nimals helps the
This helps

animals environment. This is called

to called
camouflage.

unnoticed by their
their
enemiees. protect themselvesaass they
they i
remain

The white fur have stripes

and lione
lions
and Arctic fox of the polar bear Tigers
that helps the
colour

snow. merges with the a have

with the forest or
to merge
grassland.

Arctic fox Tiger

A stick insect that looks ike
a twig and a grasshopper's
green colour merges with the
leaves', making it difficult for
its enemies to spot them.
Chameleons camouflage by
changing the colour and pat
of their skin to match the
surroundings.

Grasshopper

Chameleon
Endangered Animals
Animals like dodo are no longer found on Earth.
They are called extinct animals. Dinosaurs that
ived millions of years ago are also extinct animals.
Human beings are destroying the homes of
animals by cutting down trees, destroying forests,
polluting rivers and seas, and even killing animals
for skin, flesh and bones.
Tigers, cheetahs, giant pandas and rhinoceros are
becoming fewer in number. These animals are in
the danger of disappearing from the Earth. Such
animals are called endangered animals.

Keywords
Adaptation: features that help living things to survive in
Vertebrates: animais with backbone
Invertebrates: animals without backbone
Exoskeleton: hard outer covering of an insect's body
Aerial animals: animals that
fly and spend a lot of time
Arboreal animals: land animals that live
mostly on tree:
Hibernation: the long sleep of some animals
during win
Aestivation: the long sleep of some animals during sur
Parasites: animals that draw their
nutrition from other
Camouflage: shape and colour of an animal that help t
the environment
Extinct: animals that have
disappeared from Earth
Endangered: animals that are in the
danger
of disappe
 Adaptation according to en

Terrestrial Aquatic Amphibian

Land Water Water
horse, and land
fish,
rhinoceros, dolphin, toad, frog
deer crab salamander,
walrus

Adaptation according to

Carnivores Herbivores Omnivores

Eat only Plant-eating Eat both
animals giraffe, deer plants and
lion, tiger animals
bear, crow