# data[].attributes.body
To survive, an animal must be able to take in and digest food, obtain nutrients, eliminate
wastes, move, maintain body temperatures, grow, and reproduce. To accomplish this, each
animal’s body plan is well adapted to meet these needs.
Animals have many unique external structures which are found on the outer part of their body.
These structures have many purposes and help an animal grow, reproduce, and ultimately
survive. Some examples of external structures include horns, fur, gills, wings, eyes, thumbs,
feathers, scales, ears, stingers, antenna, nose, eyelids, shell, bright colorations, and so forth.
Animals also have internal structures which assist in the animals’ survival, growth, and
reproduction. These structures are found inside the animal’s body and include the major
organs such as the heart, brain, stomach, kidney, lungs, and so forth. Internal structures are
not limited to organs, however. They can also include veins, nerves, salvia, taste buds, the
ability to regulate body temperature, and so on. Many of the internal structures, particularly
the organs, have to work together to keep an animal alive. If one stops working, the others will
not be able to do their jobs, and the animal to die.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfQCZSwNHEw

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Some animals have developed amazing adaptations to their environments. Many different types of energy exist in the environment, some of which humans cannot detect. Here are some examples of how some animals sense the outside world and the anatomical structures that allow them to do so.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Discover cool info and videos about your favorite animals in the Wild Kratts database.

# data[].attributes.body
http://www.thunderboltkids.co.za/Grade4/01-life-and-living/chapter2.html

Scroll down past the plant section to the animal section.

# data[].attributes.body
Have you ever wondered why some animals have fur while others have scales? Or why some animals have tails? These parts of animals help them grow, survive, and reproduce. Read on to learn more about external structures of animals.

External Structures of Animals

What do you have in common with a chimpanzee? Almost every part of your body, that's what! All animals have a head, body covering, limbs, and some form of a tail. Although these body parts may look different on different animals, they are all crucial to helping them live and reproduce.

Head

'If I only had a brain,' said the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. Well, luckily animals do have brains, and the head structure protects it. The brain is responsible for animals' thinking and behaviors, like how to hunt for food or hide from predators. Without it, they would have no chance of survival.

The head also contains some sort of mouth for feeding, which is how animals take in nutrients and food necessary for survival. Other sensory organs, such as eyes, ears, and nose, are also on the head, and different organs have become specialized to be extra helpful for different animals. For example, hawks use their sharp eyesight to spot prey for their next meal, and a dog's keen sense of hearing warns them of danger.

This giraffe uses its long tongue to reach leaves on tall trees.

Body Coverings

When it's cold outside, you wear a coat; when it's hot out, you wear shorts. Animals, however, are born with the different materials that cover their bodies, called body coverings, which vary according to what their needs are. For example, polar bears live in extremely cold climates, so they are covered in a layer of fat and thick fur.

Other animals, like frogs, use their body coverings to camouflage or blend in with their environment, to either hide from predators or sneak up on prey. Many male animals, such as peacocks, have colorful or bright body coverings to attract females to mate and reproduce with.

Different kinds of animal body coverings include fur, scales, skin, feathers, and shells. Even though they may look and feel different, all these body coverings protect animals' internal organs, bones, and muscles, and help to shield them from their environment.

The shell of this snail protects it from the environment and possible predators.

Tail

In general, tails help animals move. Fish, dolphins, and birds use their tails for steering and movement, and monkeys use theirs to swing through the trees.