The place where an organism lives is called its habitat. The conditions in a habitat are called the environment. The physical environment includes conditions such as the temperature and amount of rainfall.
Every organism has certain features or characteristics that allow it to live successfully in its habitat. These features are called adaptations and we say that the organism is adapted to its habitat.
Organisms living in different habitats need different adaptations. Let's look at two examples.
The polar bear
Polar bears live in the Arctic, which is cold. Here are some of the polar bear's adaptations to living in this environment:
black skin to absorb heat well
white appearance to camouflage it against the snow and ice
thick layers of fat and fur for insulation
wide feet with hair on their soles to avoid slipping
The camel
Camels live in deserts, which are hot and dry during the day but cold at night. Here are some of the camel's adaptations to living in this environment:
they can go for a long time without water (but they don't store water in their humps)
slit-like nostrils and two rows of eyelashes to help keep the sand out
wide, flat feet to help them walk on the sand
thick fur to keep the sun off their skin
Poorly adapted
It might help you understand the importance of adaptations if you make up some silly examples of badly adapted organisms, such as skinny polar bears with black fur. They wouldn't last long on the snow and ice!
