Nashville Zoo Education Department
A Day in the Life Vocabulary
1. Amphibian: An ectothermic animal with moist or wet skin that begins life in a mass of
jelly-like eggs. It later undergoes physical change and develops into an adult. Examples:
frogs, toads and salamanders
2. Bird: An endothermic animal that has wings, a beak, and a body covered in feathers and
lays hard shelled eggs. Examples: hawks, robins, chickens.
3. Bird of Prey: A bird that hunts other animals for food and has excellent eyesight, sharp
talons, and a sharp curved beak. Owls, hawks, eagles, kites, osprey are birds of prey.
4. Conservation: The act or process of protecting from loss or depletion.
5. Defense: The act of defending against attack, danger or injury.
6. Environment: The natural world, within which people, people, animals, and plants
live.
7. Fish: Ectothermic aquatic animal that typically has fins, scales and gills to provide
oxygen to the blood.
8. Habitat: The area in which an organism lives (usually contains food, water, and shelter).
9. Mammal: Endothermic animal that has fur or hair, gives live birth, and mothers produce
milk to feed the young. Examples: cows, people, cats.
10. Predator: An animal that hunts, kills and eats other animal in order to survive.
11. Prey: Animals that are hunted by predators as a food source.
12. Recycle: Process material so it can be used again; such as to recycle aluminum cans.
13. Reptile: Ectothermic animal covered with dry scales. Examples: alligators, crocodiles,
turtles, snakes, and lizards.
14. Territory: An area that an animal considers as its own and that it defends against
intruders.
Updated: August 2014
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3777 nolensville road  Nashville, TN  37211
(615) 833-1534  fax: (615) 333-0728  www.nashvillezoo.org