Class Number:

Name: _____________________________________ Score: __________________

Grade and Section: ____________________________

ANIMAL: RACOON

Habitat: Land
Adaptation:
1. Raccoons have a highly developed sense of touch. Their front paws are
especially sensitive and contain thumbs, which enable the raccoon to pry open
food and climb easily.
2. Raccoons have well-developed senses of hearing and vision. They can see
especially well at night.
3. Although they usually walk in a slow, shuffling fashion, raccoons can run quickly
if necessary to escape danger.
4. Raccoons are excellent climbers and can easily climb trees in order to obtain
food or escape predators.
5. Raccoons can swim quite well if necessary. However, they rarely choose to swim
because their fur is not waterproof and will take on extra weight if it gets wet.

Reference: https://cosleyzoo.org/raccoon/ January 27, 2024

 Class Number:
Name: _____________________________________ Score: __________________
Grade and Section: ____________________________

ANIMAL: GREY TREE FROGS

Habitat: Land and Water

Physical Adaptations:
1. As with other amphibians, grey tree frogs hatch from eggs, and then
metamorphosize (change) from tadpoles to their adult forms.
2. Grey tree frogs can change color to help them blend in with their environments.
3. A tree frog’s sticky toe pads aid the frogs in climbing.

Reference: https://cosleyzoo.org/grey-tree-frog/, January 27, 2024

 Class Number:
Name: _____________________________________ Score: __________________
Grade and Section: ____________________________

ANIMAL: PORCUPINES
Habitat: Land

Physical Adaptations:
1. These are two other adaptations of hair covering the porcupine's body. The
underfur is a thick yet very fine dark-colored hair covering the skin. It serves as
an insulator keeping the porcupine warm in the winter. The guard hairs are over
the top of the underfur on the back and tail. They grow as long as four inches and
serve as protection for the underfur.
2. The porcupine's front feet have four toes. The back have five toes. Each toe ends
in a sharp, strong claw the porcupine uses for two purposes: The first is to help
him gain access to his strictly vegetarian diet. He uses the claws to dig plants,
tear tree bark and pull berries off the vine. The second use involves digging his
strong claws in to trees to anchor himself as he climbs.
3. Porcupines have four sharp incisor teeth in the front of their mouth. These are
often compared to a chisel. Their teeth continue to grow throughout their lifetime.
To prevent the teeth from curling over, porcupines trim their teeth by chewing on
wood. Their teeth often take on an orange tint from the tannin enzyme in wood.

Reference: https://animals.mom.com/porcupines-quills-grow-back-10125.html January

28, 2024
 Class Number:
Name: _____________________________________ Score: __________________
Grade and Section: ____________________________

ANIMAL: GIRAFFE
Habitat: Land

Physical Adaptations:
1. A reticulated giraffe’s height enables it to reach food sources that are out of
reach for other animals.
2. Long prehensile tongues and fleshy lips strip leaves from branches. The tongue
allows the giraffe to reach leaves on thorny branches without scratching its face
or eyes.
3. To keep their blood flowing, giraffes need big hearts, two feet (0.6 m) long and
weighing about 25 pounds (11kg), and large blood vessels.
4. Giraffes are ruminants with four-chambered stomachs that process their fibrous
diet. Their ability to chew their cuds while walking allows them to make efficient
use of foraging time.
5. Reticulated giraffes have excellent eyesight, allowing them to see movement up
to a mile away, and a keen sense of hearing that help them be safe from
predators.
6. Their spotted coat pattern helps to camouflage them in the dry savanna.
7. They can run 35 miles per hour (56 kph) for short distances and can deliver a
strong kick to discourage predators.

Reference: https://denverzoo.org/animals/reticulated-giraffe/ , January 27, 2024

 Class Number:
Name: _____________________________________ Score: __________________
Grade and Section: ____________________________

ANIMAL: CAMEL
Habitat: Land (Desert)
Physical Adaptations:
1. Camels have a number of adaptations to help them thrive in this extreme
environment. They have long, shaggy fur that keeps them warm but which they
can shed during hot months.
2. Their wide hooves keep them from sinking in sand. The energy-rich fat stored in
their humps enables them to survive long periods without food.
3. They are able to hold 35 gallons of water at a time, so they can take advantage
of water supplies when they have them.
4. They also have long eyelashes and a third eyelid, which help keep dirt and sand
out of their eyes.

Reference: https://stlzoo.org/animals/mammals/hoofed-mammals/bactrian-
camel#:~:text=Camels%20have%20a%20number%20of,survive%20long%20periods
%20without%20food. January 28, 2024
 Class Number:
Name: _____________________________________ Score: __________________
Grade and Section: ____________________________

ANIMAL: JACK RABBIT

Habitat: Land
Physical Adaptations:
1. The large ears of this hare help it to lose heat and thereby cooling its body
temperature.
2. They have large eyes that are high on their head and placed toward the side.
3. This along with the fact that their head is slightly flat allows them to see almost
360 degrees (a full circle) helping to spot predators.

Reference: https://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/oz/long-fact-sheets/Jackrabbit.php
January 27, 2024
 Class Number:
Name: _____________________________________ Score: __________________
Grade and Section: ____________________________

ANIMAL: POLAR BEAR

Habitat: Water (Sea Ice)
Physical Adaptations:
1. Polar bears have 2 layers of fur that prevent almost all heat loss. In fact, the fur
keeps them so warm that adult males can quickly overheat when they run.
Surprisingly, their fur isn’t actually white. It just looks that way. Each hair shaft is
pigment-free and transparent with a hollow core that scatters and reflects visible
light.
2. In addition to 2 layers of fur, a thick layer of fat helps keep the bears warm. A
polar bear’s body fat can measure up to 11.4 cm (4.49 in). In the water, polar
bears rely more on their fat than their fur to keep out the cold; wet fur is a poor
insulator. That’s why mother bears don’t like to swim with young cubs in the
spring—the cubs don't have enough fat to stay warm.
3. Polar bear paws are ideal for getting around in the Arctic. They’re huge—as big
as dinner plates—and measure up to 30 cm (11.81 in) across. This helps the
bears walk on thin ice without falling through. The polar bear’s super-paws are
also designed for swimming. The forepaws act like large paddles and their hind
paws serve as rudders.
4. Black footpads on the bottom of each paw are covered by small, soft bumps
known as papillae. Papillae grip the ice and keep the bear from slipping. Tufts of
fur between their toes and footpads help with warmth, as well.
5. Thick, curved, sharp, and strong—each measures more than 5 cm (1.97 in) long.
Polar bears use their claws to catch and hold slippery seal prey and to gain
traction on ice.
6. Polar bear ears are small and round, and their tails short and compact, to prevent
heat loss and conserve the most warmth possible.
Reference: https://polarbearsinternational.org/polar-bears-changing-arctic/polar-bear-
facts/adaptions-characteristics/ January 27, 2024