104 Animals Move!-High

Animals Move! FOCUS Question How do different body parts help animals move in the places where they live?

Many Places Have you ever watched an animal move? Some walk, hop, or slither on land. Some swim in water. Some fly in the air or move through trees. Animals that live in different places move in different ways. They use special parts of their body to move.

Animals Move on Land Many land animals move by walking, running, or hopping. They push against the ground with their feet to move. A push is a kind of force. Camels live in deserts and have big, flat feet. Their feet help them walk on sand. Bighorn sheep live on mountains. They have small, sharp hooves for climbing on rocks.

Most snakes live on land, but they have no feet. They push along the ground with special scales on their body. The sidewinder is a snake that lives in deserts. The sand is hot The sidewinder moves side to side instead of straight ahead. It lifts its body off the ground to protect its skin from the hot sand.

Animals Move in Trees Monkeys hold onto branches. They use their arms to pull up. This force helps them move and climb trees. Geckos climb straight up tree trunks. Special tiny hairs on their feet help geckos stick to branches as they push their legs forward. Wowser! Geckos can climb up smooth glass. They can even walk upside down! Their feet stick to the glass, so they do not fall.

Animals Move in the Air Vultures use their large wings to push against the air. This force helps them fly up in the sky. Hummingbirds are small birds. They push their wings very fast against the air. This movement lets them hover, or stay in one place, in the air while gathering food from a flower.