# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Anup Shah/Digital Vision/Getty Images

More than 200 million years ago, crocodiles roamed the Earth among the dinosaurs, and their skulls alone measured approximately six feet in length. Today's crocodile began evolving 80 million years ago, developing the traits that have enabled its survival. While body armor of bony plates comes to mind, this rough and tough exterior is only the beginning. A combination of physiological and behavioral adaptations has ensured the crocodile's survival through the ages.

A Cast-Iron Stomach

On average, a crocodile dines on 50 feasts per year. Crocodiles have extremely indiscriminate palates, and so their digestive system has adapted to process anything they consume, from crustaceans, mollusks and fish to birds and mammals. The acid level in their gastric secretions is the highest of all vertebrates. As bones, hooves, horns, shells and other solid materials get broken down, these rock-like items aid in grinding down coarse food. No matter what the crocodile chooses off the menu, none of it goes to waste.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What are the Adaptations of a Crocodile to Survive Its Environment?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
More than 200 million years ago, crocodiles roamed the Earth among the dinosaurs, and their skulls alone measured approximately six feet in length. Today's crocodile began evolving 80 million years ago, developing the traits that have enabled its survival. While body armor of bony plates comes to mind, this rough and ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ablestock.com/AbleStock.com/Getty Images

Zebra have adapted to their habitats in several ways. These include adaptations in their anatomy, physiology and even their behavior. Some adaptations serve to discourage predators and parasites. Others help them feed and take advantage of food sources. These adaptations range from the obvious, like their stripes, to more subtle adaptions, like their herding behavior.

Teeth

Zebra have several types of teeth that help them survive in their habitats. In the front of their mouths, zebra use their strong incisors for biting off grass and other vegetation. In the rear of their mouths, zebra have molars and premolars to grind down their food. Unlike other mammals, zebras feature large, high-crowned grinding teeth, since many of the grasses they eat feature a high silica content that can wear down teeth. Additionally, males have enlarged canine teeth for fighting. This adaptation is the result of sexual selection; males that perform better in fights have a better chance of getting a mate and reproducing.

Digestive Tract

Zebra feature several adaptations to their digestive tracts to better use the foods in their environment. Like other members of the horse family, most of the digestion occurs in an organ called the cecum. The cecum is a blind pouch off of the beginning of the small intestine, right after the stomach. Here, bacteria help break down the zebra's food before the body can absorb it. This allows food to pass more rapidly through a zebra's digestive tract. This adaptation has several pros and cons for zebra. On one hand, they can get useful nutrition from poor-quality grasses, helping them find food in areas other animals can't. On the downside, they need to eat more grasses to get enough protein, forcing them to eat for more of their day.

Behavioral

Not all adaptations involve physical structures. Zebra have several behavioral adaptations in addition to their physical adaptations. For example, most species of zebra live in herds, like other members of the horse family. Unlike most other horse species, zebra often herd with other animals as well, such as giraffes. While this behavioral adaptation offers many of the same advantages for all herding animals -- such as more eyes to spot predators -- living in groups enhances some other zebra adaptions. In groups, the stripes help break up their outlines, making it harder for predators to pick out the shape of individual zebra. This benefits all members of the group. Even the Grevy's zebra, which does not live in true herds, still tend to form small groups that can offer some of the same advantages.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Adaptations Do Zebras Have in Their Habitats?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Zebra have adapted to their habitats in several ways. These include adaptations in their anatomy, physiology and even their behavior. Some adaptations serve to discourage predators and parasites. Others help them feed and take advantage of food sources. These adaptations range from the obvious, like their stripes, to ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Anup Shah/Photodisc/Getty Images

There are six surviving subspecies of tiger: Amur tiger, Bengal tiger, Indochinese tiger, Malayan tiger, South China tiger and Sumatran tiger. Although they all live in slightly different environments, the areas in which they live are fairly similar. Sadly, tigers' natural habitats are being rapidly destroyed, causing these beautiful creatures' populations to decline.

Range

Despite their dwindling numbers, tigers are fairly widely distributed, although their current range is just 7 percent of its former size. They can be found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Viet Nam. However, a century ago they could be found in much larger numbers, almost everywhere across Asia.

Habitat

In order to survive, tigers need to live in areas with dense vegetation, access to water and large ungulate -- or hoofed -- prey. The exact habitats the different subspecies of tiger live in varies, although they generally live in forests. For instance, Amur tigers often live in snowy coniferous forests, whereas Bengal tigers live anywhere from mangroves to temperate forests, and Indochinese tigers live in both highland and lowland tropical deciduous, mixed or coniferous forests.

Other Adaptations

There are a range of other adaptations that make it easier for tigers to thrive within their environment. They have a special adaptation to their retinas, which allows more light to reflect back into their eyes, making it easier to see in the dark. They also have extremely good hearing and are even able to pick up infrasound, which makes it easier to hear and communicate over long distances in the forest, because infrasound can pass through trees and other objects. They also have large teeth and long, retractable claws, both of which help them to hunt.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There are six surviving subspecies of tiger: Amur tiger, Bengal tiger, Indochinese tiger, Malayan tiger, South China tiger and Sumatran tiger. Although they all live in slightly different environments, the areas in which they live are fairly similar. Sadly, tigers' natural habitats are being rapidly destroyed, ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

There are two distinct species of elephants: African elephants (Loxodonta africana) and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). They both live in hot, somewhat inhospitable environments, with occasional droughts and plenty of predators to threaten prey animals, but their adaptations have helped them to survive these conditions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Adaptations of Elephants for Survival

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There are two distinct species of elephants: African elephants (Loxodonta africana) and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). They both live in hot, somewhat inhospitable environments, with occasional droughts and plenty of predators to threaten prey animals, but their adaptations have helped them to survive these ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Unique Adaptations That Sharks Have to Survive

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Found throughout the world, sharks have a variety of species-specific adaptations that help them survive and thrive in various environments. Some traits, however, extend across species, helping sharks effectively swim, hunt, eat and hide. With keen senses and special organs, they’re uniquely…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Anup Shah/Digital Vision/Getty Images

Over 1,200 different species of bat exist, which means they account for around one-fifth of all mammal species. Although they have a bad reputation, they're extremely important to humans as they keep insect populations down and help pollinate plants. They have a range of adaptations that help them survive and make them the unique creatures they are.

Skeleton

Bats have a variety of skeletal adaptations that allow them to fly. Like birds, they have reduced and shortened bones, so that they're light enough to take to the air. As mammals, their distant ancestors would have been flightless. Bats' wing membranes are supported by long bones, which actually are highly elongated fingers, which evolved over a long period of time to allow them to fly. In fact, Chiroptera, the scientific name for bat, means "hand-wing."

Nocturnal

Bats are nocturnal creatures, which means they're active at night. This is a useful adaptation for them, as flight requires a lot of energy and could be too tiring for them during the day. Their thin, black wing membranes may cause excessive heat absorption in daylight hours, which could lead to dehydration. In addition, fewer predators are around to threaten bats at night and, for those bats who eat insects, a much larger amount of prey to catch.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Over 1,200 different species of bat exist, which means they account for around one-fifth of all mammal species. Although they have a bad reputation, they're extremely important to humans as they keep insect populations down and help pollinate plants. They have a range of adaptations that help them survive and make ...