CBSE Class 4 Science – 4.adaptations in Animal (Notes)

Habitat -The place where organism lives naturally and grows is called habitat.

 

Adaptations -The adjustment made by the living binges to survival in habitat is called adaptation.

                                                                Or

The process of changing to suit in the new situation is called adaptation.

Note – Adaptation is necessary for all living beings because due to adaptation they survive in their home.

 

 

Animals on the basis of habitat:

Terrestrial animals – Animals that live on land surface or inside land surface are called

terrestrial animals. Ex- Tiger Lion, Man, Earthworm etc.

Features of terrestrial animals

They have strong legs or limbs to move.

They have lungs to breathe.

They have well developed nervous system.

They have hairy or thick skin to bear heat and cold.

They have well developed nervous system and sense organs.

 

Polar region animals: – Animals that live in very cold climate are called polar region animals. Ex- Polar bear, Musk ox, Seal, Walrus and Penguin etc

How is a polar bear adapted to live in extremely cold region?

The polar bear adapted to live in extremely cold region due to following reasons-

They have heavy fur on their body that keep them warm.

The thick layer of fat found below the skin of polar bear that keeps it warm.

 

Blubber: -The thick layer of fat found below the skin of cold region animals or marine mammals is called blubber.

 

Mountain animals: – Animals that live on mountain are called mountain animals.

Ex- Mountain goat, etc

 

Desert animals: – Animals that live in desert climate are called desert animals.             

Ex- Camel, Desert tortoise, Desert snake etc.

 

How is a camel adapted to live in deserts?

The camel adapted to live in deserts due to following reasons-

Camel has padded feet to run very fast on the sand so it is called sheep of desert.

Camels have humps on their back to store fat.

Store fat give them energy for many days when they don’t take food and water.

They can live many days without water and food.

 

Hibernation – The period of dormant state सूषुप्त अवस्था of warm- blooded animals is called hibernation.

Warm-blooded (endothermic) animals hibernate in the winter when food is short. During this period, they use store fat to gate energy.

 

Aestivation – To spend the summer usually at one place is called Aestivation.

 

Aquatic animals: – Those animals that live in the water are called aquatic animals.

Ex- Fish, Snail, Turtle, Crab etc.

Aquatic animals breathe through their gills, except dolphin and whales.

Dolphin and whales have no gills; they have to come up to the water surface to breathe.

Tails act as paddles for change the direction in the swimming.

Fish tend to have tails that are vertical, necessitating a side-to-side movement.

 

Amphibians: – Those animals that live both on land and in water are called amphibians.      

Ex- Frog, Toad, Tortoise, Crocodile, Alligator, Newt, Salamander etc.

 

How is a frog adapted to live on land and in water?

The frog adapted to live on land and in water due to following reasons-

They have limbs to move and swim.

They have lungs and gill to breathe while they are on land and water.

They breathe through their moist skin also.

 

Aerial animals – Those animals that fly and spend most of time in the air are called aerial animals. Ex- Birds, Bat, Butterfly etc.

Which features of an aerial animal help it to fly?

There are many features are found in an aerial animal that help it to fly-

They have hollow bones which make their body light.

They have wings that help them to fly.

They have a boat-shaped body that helps them to fly easily.

 

Arboreal animals – Those animals that spend most of time on trees are called arboreal animals. Ex- Monkey, Lizard, Squirrel etc.

They have sharp claws to climb up and down the branches.

 

Animals on the basis of food and survival:

 

Herbivorous – Those animals which eat only plants and plant’s products are called herbivorous. Ex: – Cow, Buffalo, Goat, Sheep, Deer, Camel etc

They have sharp and flat front teeth for cutting the leaves.

Their teeth in the inner side of the mouth help in chewing the grass or leaves.

 

Carnivorous: – Those animals which eat flesh of other animals are called carnivorous

animals. Ex: – Lion, Tiger, Fox, Wolf, Shark etc

They have long sharp tearing teeth and claws which help them to tear the flesh.

They have strong legs which help them to run fast and catch their prey.

Birds of prey have sharp beaks to tear the flesh.

Preying birds have strong claws called talons to catch and tear their prey.

 

Omnivorous: – Those animals which eat both plants and flesh of animals are called omnivorous animals. Ex- Dog, rat, Crow, Pigs, Hens etc

Note: Human beings can be herbivorous or omnivorous.

 

Scavengers: –Those animals that eat dead and decaying materials are called scavengers.

Ex- Leopard, jackal, vulture, wolf etc.

 

Parasites: – Those organisms that live on or in a host for their food are called parasites.         

Ex- Mosquito, Tape worm, Hook worm, Round worms, Bugs, Leech etc.

Animals or plants that provide food to the parasites are called host.

Sometimes the host is harmed by the parasite, and sometimes the relationship is neutral.

Parasites do not have teeth.

 

Adaptation for Protection:

Adaptation is very important for an animal to protect itself and continue to live and reproduce.

 

There are several way by witch animal can save themselve-

Many animals protect themselves by running away from their enemies.

Ex- Mice, Deer, Zebras etc.

Stick insect and leaf insect have colours which merge with surrounding.

Grasshoppers are green in colour due to this it cannot visible when they are sitting on leaves on the plants.

The Polar bear white fur enables it to blend with its snowy background.

Some animals have spines or shells on their bodies to protect themselves.

Some animals have stings and they used their stings to inject poison into the body of their enemies. Ex- Bees, Wasps

Some animals have special feature of changing their colour to merge with their surroundings. Ex- Chameleon

 

Camouflage – The process by which animals change their colours with their surroundings is called Camouflage. Ex– Chameleon etc.

 

Extinct Animals – Some organims which failed to adapt themselves according to the changing of climate, food and surrounding so they died and were lost forever are called extinct animals. Ex– Dinosaurs, Archaeopteryx etc.

 

Endangered animals – Those animals that are in danger of becoming extinct due to natural causes or man activities are called endangered animals.