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    Home » Animals and Nature » 10 Awesome Animal Adaptations

    10 Awesome Animal Adaptations

    July 5, 2022 By Emma Vanstone Leave a Comment

    If you decided to visit Antarctica you’d struggle to survive without specialist clothing and equipment. However, penguins mange to live there perfectly well as they have adapted to survive and thrive in their harsh environment.

    Animals need food, water, shelter and a safe place to have their offspring in order to survive. Over thousands of years they adapt and change in order to live successfully in their habitat. Species of the same animal can even be adapted to live in different parts of the world. African elephants have bigger ears than Asian elephants as ears are used to cool the elephant down and African elephants live in a hotter part of the world.

    Adaptations can be how an animal looks, some animals are camouflaged to look just like their environment. Some animals have adapted to scare away predators and others to be super hunters. Animals all over the world have developed unique adaptations for survival in their specific habitat.

    I’ve compiled a list of 10 amazing animal adaptations demonstrating just a little of the diversity of animal life on our planet.

    Once you’ve read through the list, have a go at designing your own uniquely adapted animal by combining different animal adaptations. There’s a handy printable template at the bottom of this post.

    Collage of animal adaptations including a shark, pufferfish, duck billed platypus and naked mole rat

    10 Awesome Animal Adaptations

    Pufferfish – amazing ability to puff up

    The pufferfish is not a fish to cross. Pufferfish have stomachs that have evolved to be super stretchy allowing them inflate with water to scare predators away.

    Pufferfish also contain a deadly toxin making them highly dangerous if eaten!

    A pufferfish blown up to scare predators

    Elephants – big ears to cool down

    Elephants are big animals who mostly live in a hot places. They can’t sweat like humans so use their cleverly adapted ears to cool down. Elephant ears are thin with lots of tiny blood vessels called capillaries. When an elephant gets too hot, blood flows to the ears where it loses heat, cooling the elephant down.

    Elephant ears can also flap to act like a giant fan.

    African elephants usually have bigger ears than Asian elephants who live in cooler climates.

    African elephant with giant ears and tusks for learning about animal adaptations

    Giraffe – very long neck

    The long neck of a giraffe gives them a couple of unique advantages over other animals. They can reach food that’s REALLY high up and can see enemies from far away.

    However, the downside of such a long neck is that it’s VERY hard for giraffes to drink water from the ground.

    two giraffes with long necks

    Hummingbird – super fast wings

    Hummingbirds flap their wings so fast it’s a blur to the human eye. This very clever adaptation means they are the only bird that can fly backwards ( handy for avoiding predators ) and can hover for a long time!

    A hummingbird hovering in the sky

    Platypus – electric field detecting bill

    The Platypus is a unique species that appears to be a blend of several animals you’re probably familiar with. It has webbed feet and a bill like a duck, a tail like a beaver and fur like an otter! Don’t be fooled be its cuteness though as males have a venomous spur near their back leg!

    One very interesting adaptation of the Platypus is that its special bill can detect electric fields generated by other animals which helps it hunt for food.

    This is called electrolocation.

    Duck billed platypus with its bill in the water

    Stick Insects – super camouflage

    Stick insects have a camouflage superpower! They usually look like either sticks or leaves and can hide remarkably well in their natural environment.

    Stick insect on a tree branch

    Naked Mole Rats – interesting incisors

    Naked Mole Rats live underground. They can’t see or hear very well, but have special long incisors that can move independently of each other and very strong jaws. This unique adaptation allows them to tunnel underground for miles!

    Naked mole rat with two long teeth

    Camel – extra long eyelashes

    If you were to walk through the desert you’d probably have a bit of trouble with sand getting into your eyes and nose.

    Camels have adapted perfectly for this scenario and have extra long eyelashes to help prevent sand, dust and other particles getting into their eyes.

    Camels can also close their nostrils to stop sand getting in their nose and of course have one more very special feature, a hump!

    Camels store fat in their hump to use for energy when times get tough and food is scarce!

    Image of a camel chewing some grass

    Eagle – super sharp vision

    Eagles have some of the sharpest vision of all animals. They have very large eyes for their skull size and a lot more cells on the back of the eye than humans allowing them to see more clearly and for greater distances.

    Eagles also have a 340 degree field of vision compared to the 180 degrees a human has.

    However, eagles are not famous for their night vision. Eyes like an owl or a cat are better for seeing a night!

    eagle image for an animal adaptation activity. Eagles have excellent eyesight

    Shark – super smell

    Sharks have the most incredible sense of smell. They can detect even very small traces of blood several miles away! Sharks can even tell which direction the smell is coming from making them extreme hunters.

    A sharing swimming through water and an animal adaptation activity

    More Animal Adaptations

    Stingrays have flat bodies with eyes on the top and a mouth on the bottom. This allows them to keep an eye out for predators while eating!

    The fur of a lion blends in to their sandy environment providing some camouflage!

    Polar bears have white fur and a thick layer of fat under their skin allowing them to be camouflaged and stay warm.

    Emperor penguins have blubber under their skin like polar bears and thick feathers to help them stay warm in the harsh environment of the Antarctic!

    Which animal adaptation is your favourite? Would you like to be able to puff up like a pufferfish, smell your favourite meal from 3 miles away or have super vision?

    Now you’re an animal adaptation expert, try this simple activity!

    Animal Adaptation Activity

    This easy animal adaptation activity gives children the chance to design the ultimate animal by combining different adaptations.

    I’d love to see this resource in action so please do share your mix-up animals!

    MIXED UP Animals Worksheet

    Mix Up Animals - animal adaptation activity
    Create your own mix up animals for learning about animal adaptations
    Mixed up animals for an animal adaptation activity

    Image of a pufferfish, shark, naked mole rat and duck billed platypus for an animal adaption activity

    Last Updated on July 16, 2022 by Emma Vanstone

    « Pick and Mix Summer Science Camp
    50 Summer Science Experiments for Kids »

    Safety Notice

    Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

    These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

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