Other than hibernating there are several other techniques that animals employ to stay safe and comfortable in extreme or severe environmental conditions.
1) Migration: many species move to warmer climates in the winter in order to avoid harsh winters. Animals that migrate include geese, cranes, ducks, and monarch butterflies.
2) In desert environments many animals (especially mammals and reptiles) are crepuscular. This means that they are most active at dusk and dawn when it is coolest. This includes rattlesnakes and Gila Monsters.
3) The reverse of hibernation is known as estivation, or sleeping through the summer when days are hot and vegetation is dry. The Round-tailed Ground Squirrel employs this technique.
1) For high altitudes, red foxes have adapted their hunting strategies to conserve oxygen and energy. Instead of chasing down their prey at such a low-oxygen environment, they use surprise attacks. And their prey, viscacha rats, have thin muscle walls to their lungs so they can breathe more freely at high altitudes.
2) Another severe environment is a soda lake. One animal that has adapted to the alkaline waters of soda lakes is the brine shrimp. The water around these soda lakes is very salty and very few creatures can survive in that environment. Brine shrimp are adapted for life in a large range of salt concentrations. They are one of the most salt-tolerant animals in the world.
3) Hedgehogs that live in the desert of the Middle East have large ears. Their ears help keep the animal cool. Blood circulates through capillaries near the surface of the skin; then, small breezes cool the blood, thus keeping the entire animal cool. Desert foxes and hares also have this adaptation.
1) In the desert, camels have adapted to the hot environment and minute amount of water they receive. When it rains, they gather large amounts of water and store it in one or two humps on their back, depending on the species.
2) Some other animals that live in hot environments have adapted longer ears. This gives them more surface area to lose heat and keep themselves cool. One example of an animal with this type of adaptation would be a desert fox.
3) On the other end of the world, in the freezing cold, many animals have adapted thick coats to protect themselves. This protects them from heat loss, which is crucial in an environment where heat sources are so hard to come by. A polar bear would be a good example of this.
Other than hibernating there are several other techniques that animals employ to stay safe and comfortable in extreme or severe environmental conditions.
ReplyDelete1) Migration: many species move to warmer climates in the winter in order to avoid harsh winters. Animals that migrate include geese, cranes, ducks, and monarch butterflies.
2) In desert environments many animals (especially mammals and reptiles) are crepuscular. This means that they are most active at dusk and dawn when it is coolest. This includes rattlesnakes and Gila Monsters.
3) The reverse of hibernation is known as estivation, or sleeping through the summer when days are hot and vegetation is dry. The Round-tailed Ground Squirrel employs this technique.
1) For high altitudes, red foxes have adapted their hunting strategies to conserve oxygen and energy. Instead of chasing down their prey at such a low-oxygen environment, they use surprise attacks. And their prey, viscacha rats, have thin muscle walls to their lungs so they can breathe more freely at high altitudes.
ReplyDelete2) Another severe environment is a soda lake. One animal that has adapted to the alkaline waters of soda lakes is the brine shrimp. The water around these soda lakes is very salty and very few creatures can survive in that environment. Brine shrimp are adapted for life in a large range of salt concentrations. They are one of the most salt-tolerant animals in the world.
3) Hedgehogs that live in the desert of the Middle East have large ears. Their ears help keep the animal cool. Blood circulates through capillaries near the surface of the skin; then, small breezes cool the blood, thus keeping the entire animal cool. Desert foxes and hares also have this adaptation.
1) In the desert, camels have adapted to the hot environment and minute amount of water they receive. When it rains, they gather large amounts of water and store it in one or two humps on their back, depending on the species.
ReplyDelete2) Some other animals that live in hot environments have adapted longer ears. This gives them more surface area to lose heat and keep themselves cool. One example of an animal with this type of adaptation would be a desert fox.
3) On the other end of the world, in the freezing cold, many animals have adapted thick coats to protect themselves. This protects them from heat loss, which is crucial in an environment where heat sources are so hard to come by. A polar bear would be a good example of this.