Adaptations are traits that an animal takes on that helps it survive in some way. There are many areas where a trait can help an animal increase its survival success. Adaptation traits can improve food collection, making a safer home, escaping predators, tolerating cold or heat or lack of water. Sometimes the trait is obvious like a skunk spraying, but sometimes it is subtle and interesting to discover.

Animals adapt many types of cryptic colors, patterns and behaviors to survive. Some simply have the same colors as the surrounding environment. This is called, blending. Some combine cryptic coloring with the actual details of the leaves, bark or plants they live on, forming a disguise. Some animals develop a color pattern, like spots, zigzags or stripes to hide the outline of their bodies or blend in with dappled light, irregular bark or tall grass. Some animals mimic the body coloring or actions of poisonous or bad tasting prey to benefit from that protection. Some animals enlarge themselves to discourage predators. Others try to startle a predator with a loud hiss, a flash of color or leaping. This is adaptive behavior. Sometimes physical adaptations help animals survive in their habitat. Longer, thicker fur for the cold, larger ears to cool the blood in the heat, webbed feet, these are all traits that increase survival so are considered adaptations.

It takes many, many generations for a new physical adaptation to spread throughout a whole population of animals. The trait must help the animal survive long enough to have young to be passed on to the next generation. This database is a collection of different adaptations and how each helps the animal survive.