Adaptations of Animals in Australia By Juanita Pritchard

Adaptations of Animals in Australia By Juanita Pritchard, Cobb County Schools Fall 2010

High School SB 4 Students will assess the dependence of all organisms on one another and the flow of energy and matter within their ecosystems f. Relate animal adaptations, including behaviors, to the ability to survive stressful environmental conditions. Elementary S 4 L 2 Students will identify factors that affect the survival or extinction of organisms such as adaptation, variation of behaviors (hibernation), and external features (camouflage and protection). a. Identify external features of organisms that allow them to survive or reproduce better than organisms that do not have these features (for example: camouflage, use of hibernation, protection, etc. ).

echidna This animal eats insects with it’s tiny sensitive snout. The tiny snout inflates or blows up for poking into insect mounds. This makes the snout more sensitive and helps the echidna find more insects. It also has spines for protection.

kangaroo Very strong hind legs make it easy for this animal to move quickly over long distances with less energy.

Tasmanian devil • Has very strong jaws and a very strong stomach allowing it to eat dead animals that other predators leave behind.

wombat • They have a hard plate over their lower backs to protect them from predators when they are burrowing. • Its pouch faces backwards, to keep dirt out while burrowing

koalas • Koalas live 80 -90% of their life in eucalyptus trees, keeping them safe from predators.

platypus • The platypus uses electrical sensors in its duckbill to find prey hidden in the stream bed. • The male has poisons spikes on its rear webbed feet.

Australian Desert Animals The animals of dry regions have clever adaptations that help them survive in this harsh environment.

reptiles Reptiles are cold blooded and can thrive in the hot desert environment.

Small mammals Spinifex Hopping Mouse Bilby Western Pigmy Possum • Most of the desert mammals are small. Being small, they can burrow holes and get shelter from the heat. • They stay in their holes during the hot day and come out in the cool night.

Large Mammals • Not many large mammals live in desert. • Larger mammals can move farther distance to find water.

Birds in the desert Birds can keep their body temperature cooler than mammals by flying higher into cooler air. Falcon Cockatoo Owl

• Photos from http: //people. whitman. edu/~yancey/africa. ht ml • Unique Australian animals http: //australiananimals. net/ • http: //www. gondwananet. com/australiandesert-animals. html

30 Amazing Australian Animals by Chris Cheng Illustrated by Gregory Rogers Random House Australia