Student Activities
- Grade Level:
- Lower Elementary: Pre-Kindergarten through Second Grade
- Subject:
- Science
Many animals at White Sands have adapted to be of a lighter color to fit their environment. In fact, there are three species of lizards that have adapted to the white dunes within the monument: the Bleached Earless Lizard, the Little White Whiptail, and the Southwestern Plateau Lizard. In the high desert scrub that grows around the dunefield, these three species exhibit a very dark brown color. Those lizards who live within the dunes (of the same species) have adapted a lighter coloration that lets them blend in with the light colored sand. This helps them hide from predators like the Roadrunner and the Great Horned Owl.
Invent your own lizard with colors that would help it hide in your choice of environment!
Materials
Last updated: September 9, 2015