Structural and Behavioral Adaptations

Your role as Specialist is to examine two particular types of animal adaptations: Structural and Behavioral Adaptations. You will use the following websites to conduct your individual research. As you are exploring, use this worksheet to help you organize your information.

Structural adaptations are adaptations that involve some part of an animal's body, such as the size or shape of the teeth, the animal's body covering, or the way the animal moves. Can you determine the structural adaptations of the animals featured in these websites? (Remember, there may be other types of adaptations listed, but you must determine which ones are structural)

American Alligator
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/na/alligator/index.html

Dromedary Camel (Look at Section V.)
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azcamel.html

Platypus
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/aust/plat/index.html

Polar Bear
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/curriculum/weeklywebadventures/animal_adapt/s_article.html

Behavioral adaptations are activities that help an animal survive. Behavioral adaptations can be learned or instinctive (a behavior an animal is born with). One type of behavioral adaptation is social behavior (if an animal lives by itself or in a group). Another type is behavior for protection. An animal's behavior sometimes helps to protect the animal. Can you determine the behavioral adaptations of the animals featured in these websites?

Opossum
http://www.americazoo.com/kids/opossum.htm

Plains Zebra
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/africa/zebra/index.html

Squirrel Monkey
http://www.lpzoo.com/tour/factsheets/mammals/sq_monkey.html