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Habitats

What is a habitat?

Habitats
A habitat is an environment with
conditions which are suitable for
a certain animal.
You could think of it as an
animal’s home.
One habitat can be a home for
lots of different animals.
Photo credit Timo Balk
Photo credit Brian Lary
Photo credit Ariel da Silva Parreira

Are all habitats the same?

Habitats
You might think that all
underwater environments are
the same but actually there are
many different conditions and
habitats!
Photo credit Fred Fokkelman
Photo credit Guillaume Riesen
Photo credit Michiru Maeda

Habitats
Different animals need different
conditions to survive.
These conditions determine
what type of habitat they live in.
Photo Credit El B
Photo credit Brian Lary
Ariel da Silva Parreira

Habitats
For animals living underwater
the most important factors are:
• Water temperature
• Hiding areas
• Breeding areas
• Level of salt
• Amount of oxygen
• Type and amount of food.

Amount of salt
Some fish cannot live in water with lots of salt and some
need salt to survive.
There are 3 types of underwater environment with
different levels of salt:
Freshwater: Water which contains very little salt. Most
ponds, lakes and rivers are freshwater.
Saltwater: All of the world’s oceans and seas have high
levels of salt.
Brackish water: Brackish water exists where freshwater
rivers meet saltwater seas. The levels of salt change all
the time.

Oxygen
Fish take all the oxygen they
need from the water they live in.
Different fish need different
levels of oxygen to survive.
Carp can survive in water with
little oxygen, whilst trout live in
water with a good oxygen
supply.

Food
Every animal has to eat, so their
habitat must contain a supply of the
food which they need.
For example, starfish like to eat
mussels so their habitat must
contain plenty of mussels for them
to eat.
The amount of food available will
be an important factor in how many
animals can live in that habitat.
Photo credit Michael Micheletti

Each animal can survive in a
certain range of water
temperature.
Temperature
For example, seals can survive in
very cold waters around the Arctic
circle because they have a thick
layer of blubber (fat) under their
skin, whereas the fish found close
to the shore in tropical areas need
much warmer water to survive.

Water quality
Poor quality or polluted water
will affect the amount of animals
and plants that are able to live
there.
Water quality can affect fish
differently. Fish like carp can
live in relatively low quality
water.

Cover
Fish require cover for two reasons:
1. To protect them from predators
that might want to eat them.
2. To help them catch
unsuspecting prey.
Different fish prefer different
types of cover. It could be rocks,
plants or even other animals
which provide what they need to
survive!
Copyright (c) 2010 Richard Ling

Question 1:
Creature quiz
• I can live to as old as 10 years old.
• I feed on tiny animals which are found in the water
by sucking them through my shell.
• I like to spend my life attached to a rock with sea
water washing over me.

Question 2:
Creature quiz
• I have five arms which can grow back if one is
damaged.
• I like to move around rocky environments with a
good supply of my favourite food – mussels.
• I have really hard brittle skin.

Question 3:
Creature quiz
• I use the shell from other animals to protect myself.
• I walk sideways.
• I like to live in places where lots of shells are
washed in by the tide.

Question 4:
Creature quiz
• Over 99% of my body is made of water.
• I kill my prey by releasing poison from my
tentacles.
• I like to attach myself to the place I live using a foot.
This can either be on the bottom of the sea or in a
shallow pool.

Rock pools
What do all these animals have in common?
• All of these animals live in rock pools.
• A rock pool is a pool which is completely covered by
the sea during high tide, capturing some of the salt
water when the tide goes down.
• It is a habitat for lots of different creatures which have
to be able to survive in constantly changing conditions,
such as strong waves or heat from the Sun.

How can we damage a habitat?
How can we conserve a habitat?

Conserving different underwater
habitats
Lots of the underwater habitats
which animals rely on are very
fragile. Some of man’s activities
could damage these habitats and
the animals in them.
Photo credit Carlos Paes

Conserving different underwater
habitats
You can help by always treating
animals with respect, disposing of
your rubbish properly and trying to
eat fish which are fished
sustainably.

Conserving different underwater
SEA LIFE helps to educate
people about the importance
of protecting underwater
animals and their fragile
environments.
habitats

Conservation facts
100 million sharks are killed by humans every year!
The biggest threat to Leatherback Turtles is plastic bags in
the ocean; they mistake them for jellyfish and eat them.
Over 20 million seahorses are killed for use in Chinese
medicine each year.
Over 25% of the world’s marine life live on or around coral
reefs. Coral reefs are one of the most endangered habitats
in the world.

Conservation news
The polar ice caps are an
example of one environment
which is being damaged by
humans.
Humans use lots of fossil
fuels which helps contribute
to global warming.
As the planet becomes
warmer the ice at the North
and South Pole is beginning
to melt.
Photo credit Jan Will

Conservation news
As the polar ice caps melt, life
becomes more difficult for animals
living in the coldest places on earth.
Seals and penguins live on these
sheets of ice whilst giving birth to
their babies. If they continue to
shrink then they will be left with less
choice about where to give birth.
Less space to give birth also means
that seals are at more risk from
predators like polar bears.
Photo credit Jos Browning

Conservation news
You can help make a difference
and save the ice caps though.
Make sure you switch off any lights
or electrical appliances when you
aren’t using them.
If you are going on a short journey
try to walk or use your bike instead
of getting your parents to drive you.
Finally try to make sure that you
recycle rubbish and try not to waste
things like paper whenever
possible.
Photo credit Ariel da Silva Parreira