1. Animal Adaptations Vocabulary

2. Behavior The actions of an animal.

3. Habitat The place where an animal lives.

4. Adaptation A body part, body covering, or behavior that helps an animal survive in its environment.

5. Camouflage A color or shape in an animal’s body covering that helps it blend into its environment.

6. Environment Everything that surrounds and affects living things. The environment includes non-living things, such as water and air, as well as other living things.

7. Predator An animal that hunts and eats other animals for food.

8. Prey An animal that is taken and eaten by another animal (predator) for food.

9. Survival Using adaptations to continue to live.

10. Mimicry An adaptation in which an otherwise harmless animal “looks” like a harmful animal in order to protect itself. Hawk Moth Mimicry This moth caterpillar defends itself by mimicing a snake. Take a look at these two butterflies. One is a Monarch and very yucky to eat. The other is a Viceroy and very yummy. If an animal eats a Monarch butterfly and HATES it, it will stay away from ALL butterflies that look like Monarchs. This helps the Viceroy because many animals mistake it for a Monarch.

11. Inborn Behavior (Instinct) A behavior an animal is born with and does not have to learn.