Adaptive features of deer makes it survive in the environment
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
Deer are successful herbivorous mammals that have adapted to environments across all
continents in the world, except Australia and Antarctica. There are many different species of
deer that cannot inter-breed, each with their own specialized adaptations. Deer are adapted for
survival and adaptations for predator evasion tend to be divergent depending on the species of
deer.
Define the term adaptation and review the adaptations of white-tailed deer described below.
For each characteristic, briefly describe how it may contribute to increased survival of white-
tailed deer in Pennsylvania.
● Hair
The upper body of a white-tailed deer is reddish brown during the summer and grayish
brown in the winter.
● Smell, Vision, and Hearing
Like many prey species, deer have eyes located on the side of their heads allowing them
to scan nearly 270 degrees – everywhere but behind them. This allows them to have a
large field of vision so that approaching predators can be more easily spotted. They are
able to see in low light or darkness because their eyes: (1) contain many light receptor
cells making the eye 1000 times more sensitive to light; (2) contain a reflective pigment
called the tepatum which reflects light back to the retina; and (3) have pupils that open
much wider than a humans allowing them to gather 9 times more light.