Question

You were nature and were shaping the body of an animal what features would you give it if it existed in an extremely unstable terrestrial environment? Be detailed here. What features would it need to survive extremes in climate, wild fluctuations in food availability, and multiple predator species?

Answer 1

If I would be nature and would shape the body of an animal, the following adaptations i would give it to face unstable environment.

1) Sharp Claws: Sharp Claws are developed in many land animals. Many herbivores use these Claws for digging and burrowing for shelter. Carnivorous use these claws to tear meat from their kills. They can also be used for faster running. They can also be used for defence. Hence, Sharp Claws are important adaptation.

2) Sharp Teeths: Carnivorous found very important role of sharp teeths for tearing thier prey. Sharp teeths are used mainly for chewing and tearing the prey. They can also be used as a defensive part. Animals with Sharp teeths can show powerful and fearless. Hence, Sharp teeths are important adaptation.

3) Hooves: Animals with hooves can maneuver in rocky environment. Hooves protect the feets and allow for greater mobility. Hence, hooves are also important adaptation.

4) Spotted Fur: Spotted Fur helps in living in heavily wooded forest areas. The jaguar's Spotted Fur helps it blend in small patches of sun. Hence, these spotted Fur are also important adaptation.

Features to survive in extremes of environment:

1) Animal should be warm blooded ( maintain a constant body temperature) rather than cold blooded ( can't maintain a constant body temperature) to face the change in environmental temperature.

2) Animal should be Regulator ( does not change according to environment) rather than Conformer ( Change according to environment).

3) Animal should not have a small body size( As according to Allen's rule, Animals with small body size tends to loose more heat).

Features to survive in fluctuations of food availability:

1) Animal should eat all kind of food around it rather than depending on single type of food. It will help them to survive in different areas.

2) Animal should eat both plants and animals to face fluctuations in food availability.

3) Animal should have the sense to collect food from different areas rather than collecting from limited area.

Features to face multiple predator species:

1) Animal should have the power of mild colour changing to match it's colour with surrounding to be protected from the predators.

2) Animal can make itself resemble with distasteful or poisonous organism. It will not allow the predators to attack on it.

3) Animal can behave as a dead object to protect them from predators.