Animal Adaptations
Staying Alive
Chapter 4
Study Guide
Test on _______________________________
Vocabulary:
Organism – Any living thing on the planet.
Instinct- is a behavior that animals are born with. (spiders spinning a web) Survival Skill
Learned behavior- are skills learned by watching others around us.
Hibernate- is a deep winter sleep that allows an animal’s body to slow down so much it can survive
without eating.
Migrate- is a long-distance journey from one place to another to find food, due to temperature
change, or to have babies.
Camouflage- is a physical adaptation that lets a critter blend into the environment so the animal
becomes hard to see. Hiding in plain view by blending in with the surroundings.
Mimicry- is a physical adaptation that lets certain species look like other less tasty ones. Animals that
look like other animals to avoid getting eaten.
Dormancy- is a time when growth and physical activity temporarily stops for plants. (taking a rest or
conserving energy in harsh environments)
Behavioral Adaptation – an animal changes its behavior, or how it acts, to survive.
Physical Adaptation – an animal changes how it looks, or physical appearance, to help it survive.
Examples: Mimicry and camouflage
Also know………
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In order to survive, animals adapt to help gather and store food, find shelter, and defend themselves
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Physical adaptations help animals survive in their environment
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Examples of physical adaptations include camouflage and mimicry
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Behavioral adaptations allow animals to respond to life’s needs
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Examples of behavioral adaptations are hibernation, migration, dormancy, instinct, and learned
behavior