Kinds Of Animals In The Desert
One of the most evolved species of animals is the ones that live in the dessert. There are various kinds of animals in the desert that are able to sustain the heat, lack of water and windy weather of desserts. Their bodies are designed to adapt to the extreme dessert weather conditions. They can manage on very little water for days together, while some of them manage their water source from the food that they eat. Those who need water drink about once a week and may have to travel great distances to reach the nearest water hole. To adapt to the heat of the desert most of them dig burrows and seek the cool soil beneath the sand.
Let us take a look at the different kinds of animals in the desert and how they manage to survive in the extreme dessert conditions.
Ostriches – Ostrich is one of the fastest animal/bird on the planet and survive perfectly well in the desert. The average lifespan of these birds is about 40 years. They require very less water to survive and unlike most other desert animals they do not bury their head in the sand. They are widely seen in the Sahara and Kalahari Desert.
Collared Lizard – These species are one of the unique kinds of animals in the desert as they bipedal and can run on their hind lings when required. They are carnivorous in nature and eat small insects, rodents and at times smaller lizards. They are mostly found in the Mojave and Sonoran Desert.
Kangaroo Rat – These special species are unique as these kinds of animals in the desert seek their water from the food they eat. They usually eat dry seeds and have the ability to convert the seeds in to a source of water for their body. They usually stay in their burrows and come out usually in the night when the air is moist. They are found in the Mojave, Great Basin, Chihuahuan and Sonoran Desert.
Camel – Commonly known as the sheep of the desert, they are one of the biggest kinds of animals in the desert. They have a humped back can drink about a 100 liter of water in one sitting. They save fat in their humps which helps them to manage without food or water for a long time. Most commonly found in the Gobi, Sahara and the Indian Desert, these animals are used for traveling and as a means of transportation in the desert.
Sidewinder – These snakes are found only in the hot sandy desert regions and have a peculiar way of sliding, using a side winding motion. They glide by keeping only a small portion of their body on the sand to save the body from heat. They can bury themselves in the sand with only their nostrils visible. These one-eyed snakes are found in the Mojave, Namib, Chihuahuan and Sonoran Desert.
Along with these animals, there are a lot of scorpions, sand cats’ dung beetles that are found widely in the desert region. Some other kinds of animals in the desert are great roadrunner, addax Antelope, Echidna, Desert Bighorn Sheep, elf owl, Gila monster, dingo, great jerboa, hawk, desert hopping mouse and lappet faced vulture