Q1.
Does the movement of these animals depend upon their surroundings?
Answer
Yes — very strongly. The way an animal moves, and the body part it uses, both match the surroundings it lives in.
| Animal | Surroundings | Body part | Movement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fish | Water | Streamlined body and fins (Fig. 2.8a) | Swims |
| Goat | Grassy areas on land | Four legs with hooves (Fig. 2.8b) | Walks, runs, jumps |
| Bird | Air and trees | Wings and light bones | Flies |
| Earthworm | Inside soil | Soft body with bristles, no limbs | Burrows and crawls |
| Camel | Sandy desert | Long legs with wide hooves | Walks on sand without sinking |
Why it happens: water pushes back on anything moving through it, so a swimmer needs a smooth streamlined shape and flat fins to push against the water. Air offers little support, so a flyer needs wings and a light body. Loose sand gives way underfoot, so a desert animal needs wide hooves that spread its weight. Hard ground gives grip, so legs and hooves are enough. The body suits the surroundings — and features of this kind are called adaptations.
Check it yourself: notice how a fish's body is thin at both ends and wide in the middle, exactly like the front of a boat. Boat builders copied nature — the same shape lets both slip through water with the least effort.