The Animals that live in the desert Usually have adaptation methods that allow them to survive in the extreme conditions of this ecosystem .
Deserts are regions where rainfall is very low and can be cold or hot. This generates a wide variety of desert areas, such as the Sahara Desert, the Southwestern United States deserts and the Antarctic deserts.
Animals in the Etosha desert, Namibia.
In spite of these harsh conditions, in the deserts is a great variety of species, both vegetal and animal. In addition, it could be said that due to these conditions, there is no environment in which the evolution of the species is more accurately evidenced than in a desert ecosystem.
You may also like to know The 20 most extraordinary desert plants .
20 animals living in desert areas
1- Camel
Camels are undoubtedly one of the first animals to be thought of when it is called"desert." These animals store large amounts of fat in their hump, which is burned when camels are unable to find food.
In addition, camels have thick hairs on their ears, keeping the sand out of their ears; The same thing happens with your eyelashes, which are thick and long.
To all this, we would have to add the special membranes that have in the eyes and their hooves, which can be compared to the shoes that humans used to walk in the snow.
2- Dingo
Dingoes are descendants of domestic dogs, which inhabit the desert areas of Australia and can reach 1.5 meters. These usually live in family groups, but can be organized in packs to guarantee hunting.
At first, dingoes fed on kangaroos, but with the arrival of man in Australia, these animals changed their eating habits and now hunt sheep and rabbits.
3 - Pecarí
The peccary or javelina is a mammal with a digestive system strong enough to eat cactus without being affected by the thousands of thorns that these plants have.
This is a great method of survival, since cacti are not only a source of food, they also provide the animal with large amounts of water.
4 - Bargain
Bargains are birds found mainly in the deserts of Asia and North Africa. The feathers in the belly of this bird have a mechanism that allows it to absorb and conserve small amounts of water.
Males of this species use these feathers as sponges to transport water to the nests and share it with their pairs and their offspring.
Road Runner
The roadrunner is a bird that lives in the deserts of North America. These magnificent animals can survive without having to drink a single drop of water, since they obtain the necessary liquids through the foods that they ingest.
However, like all species, roadrunners need to excrete minerals they do not need, but can not do so through the urine, as this would be a waste of fluids.
So what these birds do is concentrate the animals in a single drop that is secreted in the form of a tear through a gland near the eye.
6- Sand Viper
The sand viper is one of the most lethal snakes in the world, due to the hemotoxin produced by it, capable of killing almost any prey almost immediately.
The sand viper feeds on small mammals, birds and lizards. This species inhabits the Sahara desert and can measure between 20 and 35 cm. Its head is triangular and has tiny eyes.
7- Beetles
There are several species of beetles in the desert, such as the acatangas or the beetle Stenocara gracilipes.
The acatanga, also known as beetle beetle, was a sacred symbol in ancient Egypt. This species survives thanks to the faeces of other animals, which usually mold in the form of a ball (hence the name"pellet").
He Stenocara gracilipes Is located in the Namib Desert, in southern Africa. Due to the proximity to the sea, this desert receives sea fog during the first hours of the day. Thanks to this fog, the beetles of this species have been able to survive in this desert.
The technique of these beetles is to remain very still so that the fog condense in their bodies; Once a few drops have formed, the beetles drink this water.
8- Adax
Adax is a species of antelope that inhabits the Sahara desert and is in danger of extinction due to indiscriminate hunting and global warming; Currently there are only about 500 individuals of this species. These animals are native to Mauritania, Chad and Nigeria.
Adax antelopes are characterized by their crooked horns and their light fur, which is why they are sometimes called"white antelope".
They feed on herbs, leaves and typical desert plants. From these plants they obtain water, reason why they are able to survive in spite of the scarcity of water in the Sahara desert.
9- Varánidos
Varanids are a family comprising multiple species of lizards, typical of the African continent; Most of these are found in the Sahara desert. They are poisonous and aggressive when they feel threatened. This creature is cold-blooded, so it hibernates from September to April.
These lizards feed on rodents, fish and eggs, although they can also feed on birds, small mammals and other creatures if the situation permits. The varánidos are between one and two meters long and have a life expectancy of 8 years.
10- Red-necked Ostrich
The North African ostrich is one of the largest birds in the world and can reach 2.7 meters in height. These birds have pink and red feathers on their necks and on the other areas of their body they have black and white plumage (in the case of males) and gray (in the case of females).
It is one of the fastest animals in the Sahara: it can run up to 64km per hour, almost as fast as the gazelles. Is a Threatened species Due to hunting by humans and the loss of habitats. At present, ostriches are found only in 6 of the 18 countries in which they originally existed.
11- Hyrax
Hyrax is a herbivorous mammal found south of the Sahara Desert and in the Middle East. There are four species of these mammals.
These animals usually live in cracks between rocks, in groups of 10 to 80 individuals. These large concentrations of hyrax are because they do not have a good temperature control system, so they should be very close to other individuals to maintain body heat.
12- Common Gazelle
The common or doraca gazelle is a species of gazelle that lives in the Sahara desert that is in the list of IUCN threatened species; There are currently only 35,000 or 40,000 individuals of this species.
The common gazelle is very well adapted to life in the desert, so much that you can spend your whole life without water. These animals are active in the period between sunset and dawn, which is when they feed on leaves, fruits, roots or any other available desert vegetation.
13 - Desert foxes
Among the desert foxes are the phoenec and the pale fox. As for the fénec fox, this is the smallest member of the family of canines. These foxes live in Morocco, Egypt, Nigeria and Kuwait.
They present mechanisms that allow them to live in these arid climates, for example: they have long ears that allow them to dissipate the heat. Phoenec feed on birds, insects and rodents.
With regard to the pale fox, these are found in the territory between Senegal and Sudan. Their coat is of a very clear color, similar to the tone of the sand, which allows them to camouflage themselves in the desert.
14- Sahara Cheetah
Among the predators living in the Sahara desert, the Sahara cheetah is one of the most prominent; Inhabit the central-western zone of the desert. These animals are listed in the list of IUCN threatened species, since there are currently between 250 and 300 adult cheetahs, a figure that is alarming.
This species feeds on antelopes such as adax and gazelles; Usually they hunt at night and without company, since they are of solitary nature.
The Sahara cheetah differs from other species because the color of its coat is rather pale and the dots and stripes are less visible.
15- Coyote
Coyotes are members of the canid family, similar to dogs, however they are wild animals. This is an impressive species as it can be adapted to almost any weather condition, from snow covered areas to desert areas.
Similarly, this species can inhabit close to human populations or can live in isolation, which is a test of their ability to adapt.
In the deserts, the coyotes feed on rodents, scorpions, birds and reptiles. They usually weigh no more than 25 kilos and live an average of 13 years.
16- Horned sheep
The horned ewe is a species of sheep that is found in the deserts to the southwest of the United States. Males of this species have thick, pointed horns.
17- Desert elephant
The desert elephant is found in the desert areas of northwestern Namibia and is one of the few elephant species that can be adapted to desert conditions.
To begin with, their legs are longer and flatter than other elephants, which makes them easier to transport in the sand. Similarly, they are smaller than other species, so they can survive on the basis of desert vegetation.
18- Jerbo
Gerbils are small rodents that are often adopted as pets, as with hamsters. However, wild gerbils are able to survive without human intervention.
These animals are found in the deserts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. They feed on grains, fruits, roots, seeds and flowers.
It should be noted that the diet of these rodents can vary according to the conditions of the environment; For example, gerbils can feed on worms and insects if circumstances warrant. They do not grow more than 17 centimeters in length and their coat is usually light brown, gray or white.
19- Hedgehog
Hedgehogs are very unique creatures because of their appearance, since they look like a mixture between a rat and a porcupine. Its size can vary between 15 and 30 centimeters in length.
These animals feed on insects, most notably beetles. They can also be fed on mice, birds, lizards, snails and snakes. Their ability to adapt to almost any diet makes these animals survive in the desert.
20- Peregrine Falcon
The peregrine falcon is a bird of prey that can survive in almost any environment of the planet thanks to its hunting skills and its great speed. The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest known bird, it can fly up to 144 km per hour.
Their sense of sight is exceptional, allowing them to find a dam up to 300 m away. These animals feed on other birds, especially pigeons.
References
- Desert Animals. Retrieved on April 16, 2017 from desertanimals.net.
- Dingo. Retrieved on April 16, 2017 from mbgnet.net.
- Baker, Craig. 20 Amazing Animal Adaptations for Living in the Desert. Retrieved on April 16, 2017 from mentalfloss.com.
- Addax. Retrieved on April 16, 2017 from mbgnet.net.
- What Animals Live in the Sahara Desert? Retrieved on April 16, 2017 from worldatlas.com.
- Hyrax. Retrieved on April 16, 2017 from skyenimals.com.
- Animals That Live in the Desert. Retrieved on April 16, 2017 from factualfacts.com.
- 10 Incredibly Adaptive Sahara Desert Animals (2013). Retrieved on April 16, 2017 from conservationinstitute.org.