2. GROUPING OF ANIMALS

We can group animals based on the external features that they share i.e. similarities in external features. Animals can be grouped in different ways, for examples:

• The fish, snake and crocodile can be grouped together because they have scales.

• Fish and shark can be grouped together because they have fins.

• Buffalo, rhinoceros, saber antelope and deer can be grouped together because they have horns.

• Peacock, swan, parrot, bird, duck and chicken can be grouped together because they have feathers.

• While lion, baboon and highland cow can be grouped together because they have hair.

• We can also group animals according to the number of legs that they have. Animals with many legs i.e. centipede and millipede; animals with no legs i.e. snake, snail and fish; animals with two legs i.e. duck, flamingo and rooster; animals with four legs i.e. crocodile, toad, rat, elephant, horse, tiger and kangaroo; animals with five legs (most common) i.e. starfish; animals with six legs i.e. grasshopper, mosquito, bee and fly; animals with eight legs i.e. spider.

• Cat, squirrel, wolf and koala bear can be grouped together because they have furs.

• We can also group animals according to the shape of beaks they have. Animals with long beak i.e. ibis and pelican; animals with short and hooked beak i.e. parrot and eagle; animal with flat beak i.e. ostrich.

• Crab and parrot can be grouped together because they have claws.

• Tortoise, turtle and snail can be grouped together because they have shells.

• Butterfly, bee and dragonfly can be grouped together because they have wings.

EXERCISE 2

Complete the table.

Group	External Features	Animals with the same features
1	Fur
2		Goat, Cow, Deer, Bull
3		Snake, Lizard, Crocodile, Armadillo
4	Beak
5		Butterfly, Grasshopper, Bat, Bee

Answer: CLICK HERE