Survival introduces users to some of the principles of ecology (the
interdependence of living things and their environment). By participating in the
Survival 'game' players can clearly see some of the hazards that creatures must
face in the wild. They must find enough food and water to stay alive, while
keeping alert to escape from their enemies. The amount of food available and the
likelihood of being killed by a predator both depend on the habitat in which the
animal lives. The program illustrates how favourable or unfavourable habitats
can be for different creatures.
As users become more familiar with the program, they will build up a profile of
each type of creature - its energy requirements, predators, lifespan - and see
how it makes up part of a food chain (hawks eat mice, which eat berries, for
example).
