Many animals are adapted to the weather, and where they are found is tied closely to the climate and its impact on the availability of suitable food. Over time, animals will also adapt to changes in the local climate, or will gradually move to a more suitable area. Animals living in the coldest parts of the world, such as seals and polar bears, have thick layers of fat under their skin to protect them from the cold. Polar bears have hair on their feet to help them keep their footing on slippery ice.

Some animals hibernate during the coldest part of the year, living off stored fat and water to survive. Others, such as toads, do the same during periods of drought, lying dormant in the mud until the next rains. Many animals migrate to breeding areas or to escape starvation during the winter season when food is harder to find.

In hot places, animals can often store water in their bodies such as camels, or are adapted to live on only tiny amounts of moisture. Many are nocturnal and come out only at night to hunt and feed.