An organism’s adaptations are a result of the genes the organism inherits from its parents.

The proportion of well-adapted organisms in a population can increase over the generations by the process of evolution by natural selection.

There are three different types of adaptations:

Behavioral adaptations - responses made by an organism that help it to survive/reproduce

Adult male penguins huddle together during winter. This helps them to avoid heat loss and survive until spring.

They breed during the winter so that their offspring reach independence in summer when more food is available.

Physiological adaptations - a body process that helps an organism to survive/reproduce

Males can go without food for around 100 days. This allows them to survive during winter when no food is available.

A penguin’s resting heart rate can slow down greatly during a dive so that it can conserve oxygen underwater and spend more time finding food.

Structural adaptations - a feature of an organism’s body that helps it to survive/reproduce

Penguins have a short stiff tail. They can lean backwards and balance on their heels and their tail. This reduces heat loss from their feet to the ground.

The color of a penguin’s body helps to camouflage it when it is swimming. From above, its dark back blends in against the sea and from below, its light front blends in against the sky.