Video Transcript
The picture shows a fennec fox. A fennec fox has large ears to
allow body heat to be lost, has sand-colored fur, and the bottom of its feet are
covered with protective fur. Which kind of environment is a
fennec fox best adapted to? (A) A hot, dry environment like a
desert. (B) A cold ice- and snow-covered
environment like Antarctica. (C) A warm and wet environment like
a rain forest. (D) A fairly warm and shaded
environment like a UK woodland. Or (E) a high-altitude and dry
environment like a mountain range.
This question describes some of the
specialized features or adaptations of the animal pictured, a fennec fox. The adaptations it possesses help
it to survive in its environment. Let’s remove the answer choices for
now so we have more space to consider the adaptations described in the question and
what they tell us about where the fennec fox lives.
The first adaptation described is
its large ears, which we are told allow body heat to be lost. This indicates the fennec fox lives
in a hot environment, as the large ears help prevent its body temperature from
rising too high in extreme heat.
The second adaptation described is
its sand-colored fur. The color of an animal’s fur is
often the same as its environment so that it blends in or is camouflaged. Other animals find it harder to see
the fennec fox, which makes hunting its prey and avoiding predators much easier. The sandy color of its fur
therefore tells us that the fox likely lives in a sandy environment. Its sandy-colored fur can also help
keep it cool by reflecting the sunlight if it ventures out during the daytime,
further supporting the suggestion that it lives somewhere hot.
The final adaptation described is
the protective fur on the bottom of its feet. Having furry feet is beneficial
because it helps protect the feet from extreme heat and can help provide more
traction, or grip, when running on a loose surface, such as sand.
Now we’ve discussed all the
adaptations described in the question, let’s summarize what this tells us about the
kind of environment the fennec fox is best adapted to. The features described suggest the
fennec fox is best adapted to a hot and sandy environment. Let’s bring back our answer choices
and work out which one best fits this description. The kind of environment a fennec
fox is best adapted to is given in answer choice (A): a hot, dry environment like a
desert.
