Select the one animal that has all of the marsupial traits listed above.
Koalas have fluffy gray fur. Until a baby koala is about seven months old, its mother carries it in a pouch on the front of her body. Galapagos giant tortoises hatch from eggs with shells and live on the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. They can live to be over 150 years old! Galapagos giant tortoises have scaly, waterproof skin.
Marsupials are a group of animals with similar traits. The following traits can be used to identify marsupials:
They have offspring that lives in the mother's pouch after birth.
They have fur or hair. Observe the animals and read the descriptions.
Scientists sort animals with similar traits into groups. This is called classification. Classification helps scientists learn about how animals live.
How do scientists classify animals? First, they make observations about an animal. Scientists observe the animal's traits, including its body parts and behavior. Then, scientists compare the animal's traits to other animals' traits. Scientists classify animals with similar traits into a group.
To decide if an animal is part of a group, look at the traits of the group.
Marsupials have the following traits:
They have offspring that lives in the mother's pouch after birth.
They have fur or hair.
Compare each animal's traits to the group's traits. Select the animal with traits similar to the group's traits.
A Galapagos giant tortoise has the following traits:
It has scaly, waterproof skin.
It makes eggs with shells.
A Galapagos giant tortoise does not have all of the traits of a marsupial. A Galapagos giant tortoise is a reptile.
A koala has the following traits:
It has offspring that lives in the mother's pouch after birth.
It has fur.
A koala has the traits of a marsupial. A koala is a marsupial.