Adaptations in Animals
Adaptation in Penguins
Penguins also live in the Polar Region. Penguins are of white colour with black back. They have thick layer of fat under their skin. This protects them from extreme cold.
- They usually remain huddled together. This helps in keeping them warm.
- They have curved claws which help them to walk in snow and to swim in water.
- These adaptations help the penguin to survive in the extreme condition of the Polar Region.
Adaptation in Birds
There are many types of birds found in Polar Regions. They fly to the warm regions during winter to survive. Long distance travel, in search of favourable climate, is called migration.
Some migratory birds are known to travel as long as 15000 km to keep them survive in opposite climatic conditions. Arctic tern is known to be the longest traveler among the migratory birds.
Apart from birds, many fish and mammals also migrate to other places in such opposite climatic conditions.
Tropical Rain Forest
In India, Tropical Rainforests are found in the Western Ghats and in Assam. Rainforests are also found in Southeast Asia, Central America and Central Africa.
Rainforests have plenty of food which supports variety of life. Many animals are found in the rainforests, e.g. leopard, elephant, snakes, tigers, monkey, buffaloes, frogs, apes, lizards, many types of birds, insects, etc.
In spite of plenty of food, there is a high level of competition for survival among animals in the rainforest.
Adaptive in animals of rain forest
Lion: The colour of lion helps it in blending in its background. Lion has a highly developed sense of smell and night vision. All of these help a lion in catching the prey.
Elephant: Elephants have well developed sense of smell. It helps the elephant in finding the food. The trunk has powerful muscles which help the elephant in uprooting even a big tree. Elephants have good sense of hearing which help the elephant in sensing danger way in advance. An elephant uses its trunk to sprinkle water all over its body so that it can cool down its body temperature.
Monkeys: Monkeys are highly adapted to live in the rainforests. Monkey uses its palms and soles to grip a branch and thus can hang and swing from a branch. It can also use its tail to hold a branch. Monkeys can climb to the topmost branch of a tree and thus can see very far in the jungle. This helps them in sensing the danger and also in finding the food.
Frogs: Frogs are adapted to live both on land and in water. The greenish colour of the frog helps it in mixing with the green foliage. Frog has a long and sticky tongue with which it catches its prey. The tree-frog has developed sticky pads in its claws. This helps the tree-frog in climbing a tree and in holding on to a branch.
Important Points:
- Weather: Day to day atmospheric condition.
- Climate: Average atmospheric condition for at least 25 years.
- Elements of weather: Temperature, Humidity, Rainfall, Wind-speed, etc.
- Rainforest: Dense forest near equator and tropical regions.
- Desert: A region with little rainfall, high temperature and full of sand.
- Polar Regions: Regions near poles, having very low temperature, area is covered with snow most of the parts of year.
- Adaptation: Special habits of animals which enable them to survive in particular climatic conditions.
- Camouflage: Special colour of animals because of which they can resemble with background of surrounding which hide themselves from predators.