Earth is home to an amazing variety of animals and plants. They live in all kinds of places, hot and cold deserts, jungles, and oceans. The desert biome is one of the toughest places to survive. Animals and plants that live there need special adaptations to find food and water.
The Desert Biome
Desert biomes are known for animals and plants that need very little water to survive. The most rain a desert ever gets is 10 inches a year. More water evaporates from the ground than ever falls as rain. The soil in deserts is often salty or alkaline. The landscape is shaped by sand dunes and rocks. You can also find shrublands, grasslands and woodlands in some dry desert regions.
Desert plants include cactus, date palms and oleanders. In the Sahara, most plants grow near the Nile river and in the highlands. The northern edge of the Sahara, near the Mediterranean Sea, has many olive plants. In the highlands you can find doum palms, oleanders and date palms.
What are Xerocoles?
Xerocoles are animals that have adapted to life in the desert. They fall into two groups: drought resistors and drought evaders. Xerocoles have a built-in system that cuts down on water loss when they sweat or go to the bathroom.
List of Desert Animals
Here is a guide to desert animals, with descriptions that will help you understand each one.
Addax Antelope
The Addax Antelope lives in small, scattered pockets of the Sahara Desert, in sandy areas and semi-arid regions. It weighs between 130 and 250 pounds and stands 1 m tall. The addax is well known for its twisted, crooked horns. Its favorite food is a grass called Astridia, but it also eats leaves, grasses and desert bushes. Addax antelopes travel in herds of 20-25 animals. They can live up to 19 years.
African Ground Squirrel
These squirrels live in the northwestern part of the Sahara desert. They eat roots, seeds, small vertebrates and insects. African ground squirrels are active during the day and sleep in burrows at night. The Cape ground squirrel is a type of rodent commonly found in Africa. It grows to 450 mm long and weighs about 2.5 pounds.
African Porcupine
The African or crested porcupine is found in sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, Sicily and Italy. It grows between 600 and 900 mm long. Its most striking feature is its skin, which is covered in brown or black bristles called quills.
The porcupine is mainly a land animal, but it can also swim. It does not often climb trees. Porcupines are mostly herbivores and eat roots, crops and bulbs, though they will sometimes eat small vertebrates, insects and carrion.
American Pika
American Pikas live in the western part of North America. They are 6-8 inches long and weigh around 170 grams. Pikas can get all the water their body needs by pulling moisture out of the food they eat. They live in grasslands, deserts and on mountain slopes.
Arabian Horse
The Arabian horse is a large hoofed animal with a slender body. It is famous for its stamina and intelligence. This plant-eater can live for 20-25 years. It weighs between 800 and 1000 pounds and stands 1.5 m tall. Its most recognisable features are its hoofed feet, long legs and flowing mane.
Take the Desert Survivors Quiz!
5 quick questions. Find out how much you really know about the animals of the desert.
Bats
The bat is the only mammal that can truly fly. Bats live almost everywhere on Earth, except in the cold polar regions. Their lifespan ranges from 4 to 32 years, and they weigh between 0.03 and 3.3 pounds. Several types of bats call dry desert regions home.
- Big Free-tailed Bat: These bats live in the Chihuahuan and southern Sonoran deserts. The big free-tailed bat is also known as the bulldog or mastiff bat because of its dog-like face. There are 90 species and they belong to the Molossidae family.
- Brazilian Free-tailed Bat: This bat is found in all 4 deserts of the USA. With a population of nearly 100 million, the Brazilian Free-tailed bat is the most populous mammal in the USA.
- Cave Myotis: This bat lives in the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts.
- California Leaf-nosed Bat: The California leaf-nosed bat lives in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts.
- Mexican Free-tailed Bat: The Mexican free-tailed bat is a sub-species of the Brazilian free-tailed bat. It is mainly found in the Chihuahuan desert.
- Spotted Bat: One of the largest North American bats, the Spotted bat is found in all four deserts of the USA. It is also known as the Death's Head bat.
- Vampire Bats: There are three species of vampire bats and they feed on warm-blooded animals. These bats make sharp cuts in their prey's skin to drink blood. The three species are Diaemus youngi (White-winged vampire bat), Desmodus rotundus (Common vampire bat) and Diphylla ecaudata (Hairy-legged vampire bat).
Bighorn Sheep
The bighorn sheep lives in the deserts of North America. Its scientific name is Ovis canadensis nelsoni. It is found in the region stretching from Nevada and California down to southern Mexico and west Texas. It has a muscular body, pointed ears and a narrow muzzle. Bighorn sheep are social animals and are usually found in flocks of 100. They eat many kinds of desert plants, including sedges, forbs and grasses.
Bilby
Credit: By Dcoetzee (own work)/via Wikimedia Commons (PD)
The Bilby, also called the Rabbit-eared bandicoot, lives in the deserts of Australia. It is a nocturnal burrowing animal with strong claws for digging long, winding tunnels. It eats mice, lizards, worms, snails, seeds, fruits and small plants. The bilby has poor eyesight, but its senses of smell and hearing are excellent. Feral cats and foxes are its main predators.
Chuckwallas
Chuckwallas are large lizards found in the Mojave desert, in Nevada, California, Arizona and Utah in North America. They can grow up to 16 inches long and weigh 2 pounds. These plant-eaters feed on Brittlebush and the flowers and leaves of other desert plants.
Collared Peccary
The collared peccary lives in deserts, chaparrals and dry woodlands of Mexico and southwestern USA. It is 3 feet long and stands 22 inches tall at the shoulder. This plant-eater feeds on grass shoots, plant bulbs, nuts, fruits, roots, mushrooms, berries and grubs.
Coyotes
The coyote is a meat-eater found in Central America and the deserts of North America. Its coat can be brown, black, gray or cream-colored, desert coyotes have sandy coats. It weighs between 20 and 50 pounds and eats birds, reptiles, rodents and scorpions. Coyotes can live for around 13 years.
Desert Elephant
Desert elephants are found in the Damaraland and Kaokoland regions of northwestern Namibia. They live near dry riverbeds that only fill up with water occasionally. These elephants are well adapted to desert life and travel long distances to find waterholes.
Compared to other African elephants, desert elephants have longer legs and slightly flatter feet, which makes it easier to walk on sand. They eat shoots, leaves, flowers, bark, tubers, bulbs and roots. Desert elephants are slightly smaller than a typical African elephant.
Desert Iguana
Desert iguanas live in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts of northwestern Mexico and southwestern United States. They can grow up to 16 inches long. Their skin is gray-tan with a light brown reticulated pattern. Desert iguanas eat fruits, buds and leaves from annual and perennial plants.
Desert Tortoise
The desert tortoise lives in the Sonoran and Mojave deserts of the USA and Mexico. These tortoises grow 10-14 inches long and stand 4-6 inches tall. Their dome-shaped shells are greenish-tan in color. The tortoise's body is covered in claw-like scales, and it uses its heavy front legs for digging. It eats fruits, herbs, wildflowers and new cactus growth.
Dingo
The dingo is a wild dog from Australia that lives on the dry plains. It has a medium-sized body covered in yellowish-tan fur. Dingoes have large ears and a sharp sense of smell. They are nocturnal and hunt lizards, rabbits, kangaroos, rats, birds and farm animals.
Donkeys
Desert donkeys are hoofed animals that live in deserts and grasslands. These nomadic animals feed mainly on shrubs and grasses. The donkeys found in African deserts are descendants of the African Wild Ass. They can be recognized by their reddish-brown hair.
Dromedary
The dromedary, also known as the Arabian camel, lives in the Middle East, the northern parts of Africa and the Thar desert on the border of India and Pakistan. It has a single hump on its back that stores fat. This fat store lets the camel survive without food or water for 3-4 days.
The dromedary has strong limbs, padded feet and leathery pads on its chest and knees. Its special nostrils can close to protect it from desert sandstorms. A dromedary can grow 7 feet tall and weigh about 1600 pounds. It eats grass, dates, oats and wheat.
Eagle (Bald)
The bald eagle is native to North America and is active during the day. It is found throughout the region from Alaska down to northern Mexico. The tail, head and wing tips of bald eagles are covered in white feathers, while the rest of the body is brown. They eat snakes, small mammals and small birds.
Egyptian Vulture
The Egyptian vulture is 85 cm long and has a wingspan of 1.7 m. It is found in northern Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It mainly feeds on the carcasses of dead animals, and will also prey on small mammals. This vulture can fly up to 70 km in search of food. It is also called Pharaoh's Chicken.
Fennec Fox
Fennec foxes live in northern Africa, especially the Sahara desert. They are nocturnal and live in groups of ten. Their enormous ears set them apart from all other foxes. Those big ears help the fennec fox stay cool by letting extra body heat escape. Fennec foxes grow 14-17 inches long and weigh between 2 and 3.5 pounds. They eat plants and small desert animals, including rodents, insects, birds, snails, berries and fruits.
Gerbil
Gerbils are small rodents found in the sandy deserts of the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Their body is 3-7 inches long, not counting their 3-9 inch tail. Their fur can be gray, white or light brown. They have a sharp sense of hearing and teeth that keep growing throughout their life. Gerbils are omnivores and eat seeds, grains, fruits, flowers, roots, grasses, desert insects and worms.
Gila Monster
The Gila Monster is a venomous lizard found in the Sonoran, Mojave and Chihuahuan deserts. It weighs about 3 pounds and grows 18-22 inches long. This carnivore eats frogs, lizards, birds and eggs.
Hedgehog
Hedgehogs have hair that has been modified into spiky spines. They are found in many different places, including deserts, plains and forests. A hedgehog has a soft underbelly lined with white hair, and its body grows 6-14 inches long. These small creatures are mainly insect-eaters, but they will also eat bees, beetles, wasps, snails, lizards, mice, birds, snakes, carrion and plants.
Hyena
Hyenas are mainly found in sub-Saharan deserts, bushlands and savannahs. They walk with a bear-like gait because their front legs are longer than their back legs. Hyenas find food by scavenging and hunting, usually in packs. Their main diet is small to medium-sized hoofed animals.
Ibex
The ibex is a wild goat found in East Africa, North Africa and Eurasia. It weighs between 200 and 270 pounds and stands 27-43 inches tall. Its coat is light sandy brown. Ibexes eat mainly grasses and leaves. Their horns are long and thin, curving upwards, then backwards and downwards. Vultures, eagles and leopards all prey on the ibex.
Kangaroo Rat
Kangaroo rats live in the western part of North America. Their powerful back legs are great for digging burrows. They grow 9-16 inches long. Seeds are their main food. Like pikas, kangaroo rats get all the moisture they need from the food they eat, they never need to drink.
Lappet-faced Vulture
The lappet-faced vulture is an endangered species belonging to the genus Torgos. It is found in northwestern Saudi Arabia, the Negev desert in southern Israel and the Sinai peninsula in Egypt. Its body grows 95-115 cm long and its wingspan stretches 2.5-3 m. It feeds by scavenging the carcasses of dead animals.
Llama
The llama looks similar to a camel and is raised for its wool and meat. Its feet have two toes covered by toenails. Llamas stand 3-4 feet tall and can live for 15-28 years. These plant-eaters are ruminants (they chew the cud) and eat mainly herbs and grasses.
Meerkat
The meerkat is a burrowing animal that is related to the mongoose. These creatures live in the Kalahari desert of southern Africa. They grow 10-14 inches long and weigh around 2 pounds. Meerkats eat insects and larvae that they find by scratching and digging at the ground.
Nine-Banded Armadillo
The nine-banded armadillo lives in deserts and semi-arid regions. As an omnivore, it eats fruits, ants, termites, beetles, worms, berries and vegetables. Its body is covered by a bony, plate-like protective shell, with white hair on the belly. The armadillo has pointed ears and snout, small eyes and a brownish-tan body color. It grows 15-23 inches long and weighs between 10 and 22 pounds.
Oryx
The oryx is a group of antelopes containing 3-4 species. It is native to Africa and the Arabian peninsula. The oryx went extinct in the Arabian peninsula in 1972, but was later reintroduced in countries like Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Israel and Saudi Arabia. Oryxes live in herds and can survive for a long time without water.
Pack Rat
The pack rat lives in northern Mexico and western USA. It is famous for building nests called 'middens', which are made from cactus plants. Cactus plays a key role in the desert food chain. Pack rats go out at night to search for food and building materials for their nest.
Peregrine Falcon
The peregrine falcon is the fastest bird on Earth. Its pointed wings help it reach a top speed of 90 mph in a dive. Its bullet-shaped body helps it fly at high speed. Peregrine falcons have incredibly sharp vision and can spot their prey from 1000 feet in the air. They hunt pigeons, sea birds and waders. They live in the mountainous regions of North America.
Pronghorn
The pronghorn is also called the 'American antelope goat'. It lives in deserts, grasslands and open plains. The pronghorn stands 3.5 feet tall at the shoulder and weighs between 90 and 150 pounds. This tough animal can handle extreme temperatures ranging from -50 °F to 130 °F. It eats cacti and many kinds of shrubs and grasses.
Horned Lizard
The desert horned lizard (also known as the horny toad or horned toad) grows 3-5 inches long. It has thorn-like scales on either side of its throat. The species Phrynosoma platyrhinos is native to North America and is found in southwestern Idaho, Oregon and northwestern Mexico.
Quokka
The quokka is a type of kangaroo found in southwestern Australia. It weighs about 6 pounds and grows 3 feet long. It has powerful legs and uses all four limbs when walking. These plant-eaters swallow their food first, then regurgitate and chew it later. They eat leaves, grasses and roots.
Jack Rabbit
Jack rabbits are actually hares, not true rabbits, they do not build nests. There are three kinds: the Black-tailed hare, the White-tailed hare and the Snowshoe hare. The White-tailed hare is the largest. The White-tailed and Black-tailed hares are called Jack rabbits. The Snowshoe hare is also known as the Snowshoe Rabbit.
Rattlesnakes
The rattlesnake lives alone. It has a rattle on its tail that makes a buzzing sound as a warning. The Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake is the biggest rattlesnake species and grows slowly. Rattlesnakes use their venom to kill prey, the venom also works as a digestive juice. They hunt lizards, rodents and other small animals.
Roadrunner
The Roadrunner, also known as the Ground cuckoo, lives in the deserts, grasslands and scrublands of southwestern USA and Mexico. It is known for its long legs, long tail and a body that stretches 23 inches. Scorpions, small lizards and spiders are its main food. Its scientific name is Geococcyx californianus.
Sand Cobra
The sand cobra is one of many venomous snakes found in the Arabian desert. It lives in rocky terrains and semi-arid areas. Its slender body is sand-colored, making it hard to spot. This nocturnal snake hides in rocks and sand and eats lizards and mice.
Sandgrouse
Sandgrouse is a family of 16 bird species found in the Middle East, Central Asia, India and Eastern Africa. They grow 24-40 cm long and weigh between 150 and 500 grams. Seeds are the main food of sandgrouse, though they are particularly fond of legumes.
Scorpion
Scorpions can survive in extreme conditions, from freezing cold to blazing hot deserts. Their body is divided into the cephalothorax and the abdomen. In most species, scorpions reproduce sexually. They can live for 4-25 years. Scorpion venom can paralyze or even kill prey.
Sidewinder
There are two types of sidewinder snakes. Bitis peringueyi is found in the deserts of Namibia, while Crotalus cerastes lives in southwestern USA and northwestern Mexico. The Bitis peringueyi is 20-25 cm long on average. It has keeled scales and buries itself under the sand when hunting, with only its eyes and the tip of its tail showing above the ground. Its main food is lizards from the Meroles and Aporosaura genera. The Crotalus cerastes grows 18-30 inches long and feeds on lizards and kangaroo rats.
Skink
Skinks look like lizards, but their very small legs and lack of a proper neck set them apart. Most skinks grow to about 12 cm long. However, a few tree-dwelling species like the Corucia can reach 35 cm. Skinks are found all over the world in habitats ranging from deserts to grasslands. Their diet includes grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, beetles, slugs, snails, isopods, rodents and lizards.
Tarantula
These hairy spiders live in almost all the warm regions of the world, including Africa, Australia, America and Europe. Most tarantulas live in underground burrows. They feed on reptiles, insects, frogs and some birds. The tarantula's most distinctive feature is its powerful jaws.
Veiled Chameleon
The veiled chameleon lives in the deserts of southern Saudi Arabia and Yemen. It can change color in response to changes in temperature, light and its mood (such as excitement or fright). Its body grows 1.3-2 feet long. It uses its long tongue to catch insects.
Spotlight: Animals of the Sahara Desert
The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world, and the third largest desert of all, after the frozen Antarctic and Arctic. It is hot and dry during the day, while the nights turn cold and windy. There is no sign of food or drinking water for miles. Only sand and more sand, as far as the eye can see. And yet, in this difficult terrain, live animals that boggle our minds with the sheer temerity they show in the face of harsh conditions. These animals are an inspiration to even the most cynical of human beings.
The animals that currently inhabit the Sahara desert are some of the oldest species in the world. Most of them have undergone some level of adaptation to survive the harsh desert. Compared to animals in other parts of the world, their diet and way of living differ greatly. Here is a closer look at some of the toughest Saharan survivors.
Addax Antelope
The Addax are flat-footed antelopes that can easily traverse the sandy landscape of the Sahara. This antelope is classified as critically endangered, with an estimated 500 of them left in the wilderness. The reasons include heavy poaching for their meat and leather, along with a shrinking habitat from human encroachment and global warming. They are rather slow because of their size and their flat hooves, which makes it all the more difficult for them to run from predators.
Dromedary Camel
When you think of a desert, the first thing that comes to mind is a camel. The Dromedary camel, said to be of Arabian origin, is the main Saharan camel. The interesting thing about these camels is that they store fat in their humps, not water. They can drink up to 100 liters of water in 10 minutes flat. They make great domesticated animals, as they have great strength and endurance, and can go without water and food for a very long time.
Dorcas Gazelle
The Dorcas gazelle is the most common species of gazelle. It stands up to 65 cm tall and weighs around 50 lbs. It is also known as the Ariel Gazelle, and its diet consists of leaves from trees and bushes. An interesting fact about the Dorcas gazelle is its use of 'stotting', an impulse jump it makes when a predator closes in. It does this to discourage the predator by showing off its fitness. The Dorcas gazelle is considered near threatened and vulnerable, but it is known to reach swift running speeds.
Dung Beetle
It can be fascinating to see what one bug can do with a pile of dung, literally. Dung beetles are a species that feeds entirely off animal waste. There are essentially three types: the ones that roll the dung, the ones that dig burrows, and the ones that are kind of lazy and just live in the dung. It is mostly the male that does all the dung hauling, while the female digs the burrow and stays inside.
Sahara Reptiles & Hunters
Horned Viper
Sand vipers can grow up to 50 cm in length. They venture out only during the night and usually bury themselves in the sand during the day. Their venom causes tissue damage, destroys red blood cells, and is hemotoxic. The horned viper is now an endangered species because of a constantly degrading environment. It is not truly known why they have horns on top of their eyes, the leading guesses are that the horns protect the eyes from sand, help with camouflage, or help the snake navigate through the sand.
Monitor Lizard
The monitor lizard is a highly venomous reptile. Because they are cold-blooded, the surrounding temperature has a direct impact on what they do. They thrive in the warmth and practically shut down in the cold. Because of this, they have a rather developed fight-or-flight mechanism, which makes them very aggressive in colder weather. Their diet mostly includes smaller animals like rats, or any other mammals or insects that they can find.
Deathstalker Scorpion
It is pretty obvious that a creature called 'deathstalker' would be quite dangerous. Scorpions have two ways to use their pincers. The ones with large, strong pincers use them to overpower their opponents directly. But the ones with tiny, weak pincers are actually the deadly ones, those rely on venom instead. The deathstalker has a particularly small pincer with an ominous dark, almost black tip.
Its barrage of neurotoxins won't kill a healthy adult (though it can cause serious pain), but it can be fatal to children and the elderly. Deathstalkers are often sold as exotic pets, which is a very dangerous thing should one end up in inexperienced hands.
Ostrich
Famous for the irony of being a 'flightless' bird, the ostrich makes up for its inability to fly by being one of the fastest land animals. An ostrich can run at an average of 40 miles per hour. Ostriches are the largest birds in the world, and they lay extraordinarily large eggs! Different breeds of ostriches are found in various parts of the Sahara desert. Their hooves are cloven with only two toes, which makes it very easy for them to travel long distances.
Their legs are intensely strong, and they use them to kick out at predators when in danger. On top of that, they have excellent eyesight and hearing, which become their prime defensive mechanism. They rarely stray from watering holes and often act as guards to nearby grazing herds. They feed mostly on grass and bushes, sometimes also turning to small animals.
Sahara Mammals
African Wild Dog
These dogs have a well-earned reputation as one of the most tenacious predators. Unlike big cats, these hunters are built for stamina. They chase prey that can even outrun them over long distances, eventually tiring the prey out, and then deliver the knockout punch. This method has made wild dogs one of the most successful predators in the world.
Wild dogs are more common in the Southern Savannahs and scrublands, but isolated packs are also found in central and southern Sahara. Compared to an average success rate of 30% when lion prides go hunting, wild dogs bag a kill more than 80% of the time, and more than 90% in the fertile plains of the Serengeti. They are also known for their strong herd instinct: after a kill, they make sure that their old, ailing, and young puppies are well-fed.
Saharan Cheetah
These desert relatives of the cheetah are now staring into the abyss of extinction. Less than 250 adults survive today, mostly in Central and Western Sahara and the Sudanian Savannah. Compared to other cheetahs, this subspecies is a bit smaller and has very faintly-colored coats that are also shorter. The spots on the coat are centered around the back, are quite faint, and may even be absent.
This subspecies hunts more in the dark than regular cheetahs, one of many behavioral adaptations to survive the harsh climate of the largest desert in the world. Another important adaptation is that they can go for much longer periods without water, drawing what moisture they need from the blood of their prey.
Fennec Fox
The name of this species comes from the Arabic word for fox (fanak) so the name actually means 'fox fox'. The fennec fox is the smallest canid (a member of the dog family, which includes wolves, jackals, and other foxes) in the world. Like the rhim gazelle, the coats of fennec foxes are very pale, helping them reflect most of the sunlight that falls on them.
Their kidneys are also adapted for deserts, designed to minimise water loss. In addition to its naturally strong sense of smell, the fennec fox relies more on its remarkable hearing. Its ears are so sensitive that it can track underground prey by sound alone! Fennec foxes can even climb trees to reach young birds and eggs, if the tree has low-lying branches.
Jerboa
A member of the rodent family, the jerboa can withstand the extremely harsh conditions of the Sahara desert. Its main defense is its amazing ability to jump and sprint away at an average speed of around 16 miles per hour, making it a difficult catch for its predators. Its diet mostly consists of desert plants, insects, and seeds, from which it gets all its hydration. This is why the jerboa does not actually need to drink much water at all.
Anubis Baboon
These baboons are found in many parts of Africa, but are also seen in the mountainous regions of the Sahara desert. The coat of this baboon seems grayish-green from a distance, but on closer inspection it has a multicoloured coat. The males are distinctively bigger than the females and have a larger mane too. The Anubis baboon survives well because of its diversified diet, which includes plants, birds, and even small mammals.
Nubian Bustard
A subspecies of the bustard family, the Nubian Bustard males are much bigger than the females. Males weigh over 10 lbs, while females average just around 6 lbs. The males are around 30 inches in length, while the females are around 25 inches. They mainly feed on insects, but will also eat seeds and other food in times of need. Due to habitat loss, their numbers have dwindled and they are considered near-threatened.
Desert Hedgehog
The desert hedgehog is a very small animal, with an average weight of just 10 to 15 ounces. When threatened by a predator, it curls up tight and pulls its skin all over its body, making its spikes point out in all directions. Its diet consists mainly of insects, but it can also eat eggs and vegetation to survive.
Slender Mongoose
The slender mongoose is also known as the black-tailed mongoose because the tip of its tail is black. It mainly feeds on insects, but its diet also includes lizards, rodents, snakes, and birds. It can kill and eat a venomous snake, but only does so when threatened. It is also better at climbing trees than a normal mongoose, which is why birds are quite a favorite in its diet.
Spotted Hyena
The spotted hyena is also known by the names 'laughing hyena' and 'tiger wolf'. This species is not yet endangered, but its numbers are declining rapidly due to poaching and habitat loss. Compared to most other hyenas which have stripes, this type has spots, and the color of its fur changes quite a lot with age. Even though hyenas are known to be scavengers, the spotted hyena mostly hunts down its own prey, and this is the main reason for its high survival rate.
Looking at the Sahara desert and its hostile climate, it is hard to imagine how these animals stay there. But somehow, over time, they have evolved and adapted to this place, where every day is a race, a race for precious water, food, and survival.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a xerocole?
A xerocole is any animal that is adapted to live in the desert. They are grouped as drought resistors and drought evaders, and have built-in ways to lose as little water as possible.
How do desert animals get water?
Many desert animals never drink. Kangaroo rats, pikas and gerbils make all the water they need from the dry seeds and plants they eat.
Are the Arctic and Antarctic really deserts?
Yes. A desert is any place that gets less than about 10 inches of rain or snow a year, so the frozen Arctic and Antarctic count as cold deserts, home to polar bears and penguins.
What does a camel store in its hump?
Fat, not water. A camel burns the fat in its hump for energy, which lets a dromedary survive for days in the desert without food or water.
Why does the fennec fox have such big ears?
The fennec fox's huge ears let it lose extra body heat to stay cool in the Sahara, and they also help it hear prey moving under the sand.
Animals from Antarctica and Arctic Circle
Antarctica and the Arctic circle are among the coldest regions on Earth. The annual rainfall along the coast of Antarctica is just 200 mm. In the inland regions it is even less. Polar bears are found in the Arctic circle, while penguins live in Antarctica.
Polar Bear
The polar bear lives in the Arctic, one of the coldest deserts on Earth. It is one of the largest carnivores on the planet. An adult male grows 2.4-3 m long and weighs between 770 and 1450 pounds. Bearded seals and ringed seals are its main prey.
Penguin
Penguins live in Antarctica, the cold desert in the southern hemisphere. They eat sea fish found in the surrounding ocean. A penguin weighs about 80 pounds and stands 1.1 m tall.
List of Other Desert Animals
Cape Hare
The cape hare, also called the brown hare, is found throughout Africa. Today it also lives in Australia, the Middle East, Asia and Europe. The cape hare is a nocturnal plant-eater that feeds on shrubs and grasses.
Fan-tailed Raven
The fan-tailed raven belongs to the crow family. It is native to the Arabian peninsula and Eastern Africa, and grows 47 cm long. It has a short tail and a thick bill. It scavenges food scraps left by humans, grains found in animal dung and carrion. It also eats invertebrates and insects.
Flamingo
Flamingos live in warm tropical areas including the desert lakes of Africa. They have long necks and legs and webbed feet. Their eyes are orange-yellow and their large bill is perfect for filter-feeding on crustaceans, insects, algae and diatoms. A comb-like organ in the tongue filters nutrients from the water they drink.
Great Indian Bustard
The Great Indian Bustard is a land-dwelling bird with long legs, similar to an ostrich. It is mainly found in India, in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Adult males stand 48 inches tall on average, while females average 36 inches. This omnivore eats small shrubs, grasses, rats, insects, groundnuts, millets and grams.
Jerboa
Jerboas are rodents found in the dry lands of Asia and Africa. They have large eyes, short front legs and long back legs. Their bodies grow 2-6 inches long and their fur is tan-colored. Jerboas eat mainly insects and plant seeds.
Lizards
Lizards are a huge group of reptiles made up of 5000 species. Their external limbs and visible ear openings are what separate them from snakes.
Marsupial Moles
These burrowing animals live in the deserts of Western Australia. Marsupial moles are blind, their eyes exist only as tiny, undeveloped lenses. They grow 12-16 cm long and weigh between 40 and 60 grams. They eat mainly cossid caterpillars and beetle larvae. Their short limbs and reduced digits help them dig through the ground.
Onager
The onager is a grazing animal that belongs to the Equidae family. It is mainly found in Iran, Syria, Pakistan, Israel and Tibet. The onager, also known as the Asian Wild Ass, stands 2.1 m tall and weighs about 650 pounds.
Peruvian Fox
The Peruvian fox, also called the Sechuran fox, lives in the Sechura desert between southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru. It weighs about 50 pounds and its body grows 60 cm long, plus a 25 cm tail. Its fur is gray and its teeth are small. This fox eats dry plants and insects.
Pocket Mouse
The pocket mouse is a nocturnal animal with a long tail, soft fur and small feet. Its long claws let it burrow, which helps it sift through sandy soil to find seeds. The pocket mouse goes into a type of temporary hibernation called torpor and stays in its burrow for long periods.
Serval
The serval is an endangered member of the cat family. It is mostly found in sub-Saharan Africa. A serval grows 40 inches long and stands 20 inches tall at the shoulder. Adults weigh about 30 pounds. Servals hunt hares, rodents, antelopes, reptiles and birds.
Wallaby
Wallabies are a group of marsupials that includes the Nabarlek and the Quokka. They have a soft, woolly coat and can be red, brown or gray in color.
White-tailed Deer
This long-legged deer is found in North, Central and South America. It weighs about 400 pounds and stands 3-3.5 feet tall. Its diet includes grass, acorns, bark and plants.
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