Adaptations of predators and prey booklet
Adaptations of predators and prey booklet
- Unit 1: Life cycles of flowering plants
- Unit 2: Sound
- Unit 3: States and properties of matter
- Unit 4: The digestive system
- Unit 5: Forces and magnetism
- Unit 6: Seasons and adaptations of plants and animals
This Topic is About...
- I will learn how predators and prey are adapted for survival.
- I will use information sources to help me research questions.
- I will group predators and prey based on their adaptations.
I’m going to become a wildlife investigator!
Key Words
- blend in
- camouflage
- pack
- quills
- team
- venom
- teamwork
- weapon
Tap to Learn the Meanings!
- blend in: To look like your surroundings so you are hard to see.
- camouflage: Colours or patterns that help an animal hide.
- pack: A group of animals that live and hunt together.
- quills: Long, sharp hairs or spines that protect an animal.
- team: A group of animals or people that work together.
- venom: Poison some animals use to hurt or kill other animals.
- teamwork: When a team helps each other to get something done.
- weapon: Something used to attack or defend, like claws or sharp teeth.
Great job learning new science words!
🐆 A cheetah as a predator
Acheetah has adaptations that make it a very successful predator. It can run at 112 km/h, which is more than four times faster than a human running at top speed. A cheetah has a streamlined shape to help it run this fast. Its eyes are in the front of its head so that it can judge distance well. When the cheetah is crouched low, watching its prey, it is well camouflaged because its colours blend in with the dry grass environment.
🦌 The springbok as prey
The springbok is the prey. Springbok stay together in large groups. This is their most important adaptation to avoid being caught and eaten. But there is often a springbok that gets left behind the group or which cannot run so fast. These are the animals that the predator hunts and kills.
🔍 Adaptations for survival
All predators have adaptations to help them catch their prey. All prey animals have adaptations to avoid being caught.
🐸 Adaptations of predators
Examples of adaptations that predators have are:
- speed
- streamlined body shape
- camouflage
- venom
- trapping
- very good eyesight
- a good sense of smell
- sharp powerful teeth
- sharp claws
- teamwork
- a good sense of hearing
QUESTIONS
1. Which adaptation from the list on the previous page do you think a spider has to make it a successful predator?
Here are some more examples. The chameleon can shoot its tongue out so far and so fast that the beetle does not stand a chance. Can you spot the chameleon in the right-hand photograph? Chameleons use camouflage to hide from their prey.
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Animal adaptations – questions
2. What other adaptations does the snake have that you can see in the photograph?
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3. What other adaptations can you see on the photograph of an eagle that will help the eagle to catch its prey?
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4. What other adaptations do the dogs in the photograph have which will help them to catch their prey?
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Let’s Investigate! Predator adaptations
Question: What adaptations do different predators have that help them to catch their prey?
Equipment: This table (copied into your book), pencil or pen, your science book, information books or the internet for research.
Safety First:
- Work sensibly with your partner and share the space and equipment fairly.
- Follow your school’s rules for using books, tablets or computers safely.
Method:
- Work with a partner.
- Copy the table below into your book.
- For each predator in the table, decide which adaptations it has.
- Tick the correct boxes. Remember that most predators will have several of the adaptations.
- Choose a predator that has not been mentioned in this book.
- Do some research. List all the adaptations your chosen predator has.
- Bring your information to share with the class.
| Adaptation | Shark | Falcon | Spider | Dolphin | Scorpion | Polar bear | Alligator | Lion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teamwork | ||||||||
| Streamlined shape for speed | ||||||||
| Eyes in front of head | ||||||||
| Trapping | ||||||||
| Sharp teeth | ||||||||
| Good eyesight | ||||||||
| Camouflage | ||||||||
| Venom | ||||||||
| Good sense of smell |
Follow-up Questions:
Tap to see example answers and teacher notes
- Table: There is no single correct pattern of ticks. Discuss which adaptations each predator really has and justify your ideas.
- Enquiry skill: You are mainly classifying and grouping predators by their adaptations and also using research using secondary sources.
- New predator: Any predator is acceptable, for example cheetah, owl or wolf, as long as you can list its adaptations clearly.
- Working with a partner: Encourage turn-taking, listening carefully and explaining your reasons if you disagree.
Great work thinking like a scientist and explaining how different predators are adapted to catch their prey.
🐾 Why prey need adaptations
Prey animals need to either defend themselves in some way or attack their predator.
🐸 Defence – hiding
Hiding from a predator is one way of defence. You saw how a chameleon uses camouflage to blend in with its surroundings so that it can catch its prey. But it also does the same thing to hide from its predators.
Other animals use camouflage to hide. Look how well this moth and this fish blend into their surroundings!
🦁 Defence – staying in a group
Many animals stay in a group for safety. The grass-eaters such as zebras, antelopes and wildebeest are prey for predators such as lions and cheetahs. They stay in large groups. Sometimes animals in the group have ‘look-out duty’ and have to warn the rest of the group with a special sound if they see a predator.
Fish often stay in big groups to defend themselves from bigger fish that eat them. Look at all these sardines defending themselves from dolphins.
Bees live in big groups in a hive. Bees use smell as a signal. If a predator comes close to the hive, the guard bees give off a special smell. They beat their wings to spread the smell. Other bees join the guard bees to defend the hive.
🦔 Using Weapons to Frighten Predators
Some prey try to frighten their predators away with weapons such as stings, horns and quills.
🐝 Stinging and Spraying Defences
Bees and wasps sting the predator. Some ants spray the predator with acid.
🦏 Fighting Back With Horns
Many animals such as rhinos, antelope, gemsbok and buffalos have big, pointed horns. They can use their horns as a weapon if a predator attacks them.
🦔 Quills for Defence
Aporcupine spreads out and rattles its quills to make it look and sound more dangerous. If the predator does not run away, the porcupine charges backwards and stabs the predator with its quills. The quills often break off, leaving the predator full of painful quills.
🐢 Shell Protection
Tortoises and turtles are very slow movers. But they have a hard shell. When a predator approaches they pull their head in under their shell for protection.
👀 Sideways Vision
Many prey animals have eyes at the sides of their heads. This allows them to see a predator on both sides of them. Lizards, antelopes and fish are examples.
🏃♀️ Running Away Fast
Being fast is a good way to escape from your enemy. For example, antelopes can run fast when a lion or a cheetah is chasing them.
🐙 Ink Escape
An octopus has eight legs and eyes on each side of its head. When an octopus sees a predator, it shoots out a cloud of ink to confuse it. Then it swims away very fast, leaving its predator surrounded by ink.