Lesson Two - Classifying Animals

Susie Bedford

With the knowledge you now have about the animals of Kangaroo Island, in this lesson you are going to sort the animals into their different groups.

In the table provided by your teacher, classify the different animals mentioned on the KI web-site under "Wildlife" into their Phyla and Class.

When you have finished your list, complete the following research into one of the most fascinating creatures found on KI (and on Northwest Cape) - the Echidna.

Although echidnas are classed as mammals - they are quite different from most mammals.

  1. What makes them different from other mammals?
  2. There is a special word for animals that reproduce the way echidnas do - see if you can find this word.
  3. Another type of australian animal does not look anything like an echidna, but it is very similar in the way it breeds - what is this animal?
  4. What special adaptations do echidnas have for eating ants?
  5. What do you think their spines are for?