Terrestrial mammals, like many animals that live on land, face big challenges when trying to live in different places. These places include deserts, forests, grasslands, and tundras. To survive in these tough environments, they have to make some important changes. Here are a few:
Keeping Warm or Cool: In extreme weather, mammals find it hard to keep their body temperature just right. For example, big animals lose heat slowly, but they need to eat more food to stay healthy.
Saving Water: Animals that live in deserts have a hard time finding enough water. Many of them, like camels, have special traits. They can store fat and they don’t lose much water when they pee.
Changing Their Diet: Different areas have different types of food. Plant-eaters, or herbivores, need to change how their stomachs work to digest tough plants. On the other hand, meat-eaters, or carnivores, might have a tough time if there aren’t many animals to hunt.
Even though these challenges are tough, there is hope. Efforts to protect animal habitats and restore them can help these mammals live better. Teaching people about how to take care of the environment also helps terrestrial mammals survive where they live.
Terrestrial mammals, like many animals that live on land, face big challenges when trying to live in different places. These places include deserts, forests, grasslands, and tundras. To survive in these tough environments, they have to make some important changes. Here are a few:
Keeping Warm or Cool: In extreme weather, mammals find it hard to keep their body temperature just right. For example, big animals lose heat slowly, but they need to eat more food to stay healthy.
Saving Water: Animals that live in deserts have a hard time finding enough water. Many of them, like camels, have special traits. They can store fat and they don’t lose much water when they pee.
Changing Their Diet: Different areas have different types of food. Plant-eaters, or herbivores, need to change how their stomachs work to digest tough plants. On the other hand, meat-eaters, or carnivores, might have a tough time if there aren’t many animals to hunt.
Even though these challenges are tough, there is hope. Efforts to protect animal habitats and restore them can help these mammals live better. Teaching people about how to take care of the environment also helps terrestrial mammals survive where they live.