Blending In
Many animals use colors to match the place they live in. This is called camouflage. Some even change colors with the seasons.
The snowshoe hare has rusty brown fur in summer so it blends in with the colors of fields. In fall, the hare loses its brown fur and grows thick white fur. The new fur matches the snow in winter and keeps the hare warm.
On the Ball
Color doesn’t offer enough protection for some other animals, so they have different defenses that help them survive in the wild.
The armadillo needs all the defenses it can get. It is only about two feet long and weighs 15 pounds. It has small teeth, so it cannot even bite to protect itself.
Instead the armadillo has an armored shell. The armor is made out of bony plates. Armor protects this animal from bumps and
1 At the first sign of a threat, an armadillo tries to run away. If that doesn’t work, the armadillo stops.
2 Then, the armadillo begins to tuck itself into a ball. It folds its head and legs inside its shell.
