Create an Animal

October is a lively month in the animal world with World Animal Day on October 4th and World Habitat Day on October 5th. Not only is it the time of year for these international awareness days, but it is also a time when animal activity becomes increasingly noticeable throughout Aotearoa. The mornings suddenly become full of birdsong; bugs can be seen crawling, flying, and buzzing in every green space, and even in homes. Farm paddocks are full of lambs and calves chasing their mothers throughout the countryside. But what makes this all possible? The animal world is incredibly resourceful and adaptable. Every limb, organ, leaf, antenna, and hair follicle serve a specific purpose to create a multi-faceted machine that is optomised for a productive life. Animals have developed these characteristics over time so that they can thrive in their habitats. Withstanding the extreme elements of nature and predation. 

This marks a great time to think about what makes these animals so well suited to their lifestyles and surroundings. In this activity you’ll create your own animal, designing its own adaptations that help it to survive its habitat and conditions. You’ll need to consider many options, drawing inspiration from the countless examples all around us. Nature will serve as your guide, showing how creatures of all shapes and sizes find ways to thrive in the harsh environments of their world.

• Felt pens, pencils, paints
• Scissors
• Glue, cellotape
• Printed off animal parts

1. Research – There are countless examples of animal adaptations around us in the natural world. Go for a walk with the purpose of deliberately focusing on the anatomies of the animals in the world around you. From the very small aspects of the insects in the air and on the plants, to the large features of the birds, sea creatures, and even people that call Aotearoa home.
2. Prepare - Print off the supplied body part templates (attached) or create your own. Select your body parts based on what your animal will be capable of. Your animal will need components well suited for where it lives, what it eats, how it finds food, and even what it uses to meet a mate. Think about its habitat and use this to inform your decisions. If your animal lives in the water, how will it swim? How will it breathe? If it lives in the trees, will it be able to climb? Can it fly? If it is a ground dwelling animal, does it dig and live in a hole? Maybe your animal builds its home above ground. What does this look like and what is it made of? Maybe its home is made from branches and if so, how does your animal break off these branches and fashion them into the correct size?  All these factors influence the adaptations that your animal has developed over time to be well suited for its environment. We’re all the products of our ancestors, and animals are no different. Create your animal with this in mind, in conjunction with your creative and artistic skills. After all, your animal also has to look flashy to meet its mate as well.
3. Take Action – Now get out your worksheet and start by drawing the body of your animal. You can be creative and use whatever body shape you decide will help your animal thrive in its environment. The bigger it is, the more food it will require to maintain a healthy system. Every decision you make will affect how your animal lives. Once your main body is ready, you can start selecting other parts like arms, tail, antenna, or maybe even fins if it is an underwater creature. Provide details like fur or scales and make sure to colour or illustrate your body parts. When ready, cut out and paste completed body parts onto the main body if using the provided samples. Finally, place them in the correct habitat and provide information about your animal in its habitat. This is your chance to tell us why you designed your animal the way you did. What abilities does it have that allow it to live a healthy and productive life?

Now that you've described how your animal will survive in optimal conditions, think a little deeper about adaptations that can help your animal thrive in a changing world. What if the tree your animal lives in gets chopped down? What if the water your sea creature swims in becomes polluted? How will your animal protect itself from these changing settings? How will it find a way to survive, and even thrive in a changing world?

The lives of the animals around us are fascinating stories of hardship and survival. Nature can be beautiful and brutal. In this activity you were asked to consider the harsh and hospitable elements of the natural world and how our animal friends around us have found ways to flourish in these conditions. By creating a narrative for your animal, you are connecting yourself to the world that surrounds us. Considering our link to the natural world helps us to appreciate its intricacies and increase our awareness of its importance. This world is both delicate and powerful. To understand the interconnected world around us enables us to support it. Humans play a pivotal role in protecting and providing habitats for the wonderous animals and plants that share the world with us. When we connect with this natural world, we remind ourselves how important the life cycle of every living being is, and we become better stewards of this shared resource we call Earth.