www.wellingtonzoo.com

Journey of Discovery - Designer Animals

Objective• Toinvestigatetheamazingwaysanimalssurviveintheirpartofthewide,wildworld!

p.1

Why does a tiger have stripes? Why are kiwi nocturnal? How are fish are able to live underwater?

What questions do you have about animals?

Theweirdandwonderfulcharacteristicsofananimalhelptheanimaltosurviveintheenvironment

thatitlivesin.Wecallthesethings‘adaptations’.

Atiger’sbeautifulcoathelpsittocamouflagesothatitcansneakup

onitsprey;thisiswhytheyareoneoftheworld’stoppredators!Itis

atypeofstructural adaptation.Structuraladaptationsaretheanimal’sphysicalcharacteristics.

What are some other structural adaptations?

Kiwiarenocturnalsothattheycanhidefromintroducedpredatorsand

findfood,likewormsthatmoveupclosertothesoil’ssurfaceatnight

time.That’satypeofbehavioural adaptation.Behaviouraladaptationsarethewaysananimalacts.

What are some other behavioural adaptations?

There are three types of adaptations: structural, behavioural, and physiological.

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Did you know that in

some predator-free sanctuaries kiwi are often seen in

daylight!

www.wellingtonzoo.com

Journey of Discovery - Designer Animals p.2

You can help these amazing animals by looking after their homes. One way to do this is to reduce, reuse, and recycle!

Inangaareatypeoffish...allfishhavegillsthatallowthemtoextract

oxygenfromthewater;thisprocessisaphysiological adaptation. Physiologicaladaptationsarethechemicalprocessesthatoccurinan

animal’sbody.

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

Answer the following questions about your favourite Wellington Zoo animal: Animal:_________________________________________________________________________

What is its natural habitat like?

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Is it a predator or prey animal?

________________________________________________________________________________

What does it eat?

________________________________________________________________________________

What are some of the adaptations that help it to survive?

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Where can you gather information about your chosen animal?How can you present the information you find?

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

What are some other physiological adaptations?