Natural Selection

Triplett Natural Selection is where animals reproduce with more genetically stable animals so that their offspring will be able to adapt and survive more easily. In the wild, animal traits are shaped not by human choices, but by natural forces. Charles Darwin called this process natural selection. Millions of years of natural selection have led to a range of canines adapted for survival in many diverse habitats. Today 35 species of wild canines can be found from the tropics to the tundra. Wild canines make their homes in a wide variety of habitats. From the hottest deserts to the icy arctic, the structure and behavior of each wild canine has been modified by natural selection so that it is well suited for survival. The fennec fox makes its home in the desert. Pale fur reflects the sun's rays, and extends over the soles of its paws to protect against burning desert sands. When fennec foxes overheat, they shunt or send blood to their large ears to rapidly dump the excess body heat into the environment. Not many wild canines can survive the frigid temperatures of the arctic. The arctic fox is the only year-round small canine resident of this harsh environment. Its fur goes from white in winter to brown-gray in summer, keeping in line with the seasonal change from white snow cover to brown tundra. To keep warm, it has thick fur that even covers the soles of its feet and tiny ears to reduce heat loss when the temperature dips far below zero.The gray fox has a unique adaptation for life in the forest. In addition to small body size and short legs that make it easy to move through the underbrush, the gray fox is the only climbing canine. Using its somewhat curved claws, it scampers up trees to avoid predators as well as to forage for food such birds or their eggs. But then there is the coyote that can adapt in any environment except the arctic. So not every canine has the same niche but can all survive in defferent habitats.