What are 10 animals that live in the desert?
What are 10 animals that live in the desert?
- Desert fox, Chile.
- Addax antelope.
- Deathstalker scorpion.
- Camel.
- Armadillo lizard.
- Thorny Devil.
- Rock Hopper penguin.
What animals are extinct in the desert?
Extinct Animals in the Desert
- Desert Dinosaurs. Dinosaurs lived in a variety of ecosystems, including deserts. ...
- Australian Desert Animals. Several species of animals from Australian deserts have become endangered or extinct during the past few hundreds of years since Australia was first colonized by Great Britain.
- Endangered Desert Species. ...
- Extinction. ...
What types of animals live in the desert?
What are 15 animals that live in the desert?
- Desert fox, Chile.
- Addax antelope.
- Deathstalker scorpion.
- Camel.
- Armadillo lizard.
- Thorny Devil.
- Rock Hopper penguin.
What are the nonliving things in a desert?
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What animal species live in deserts?
Examples of desert animals include invertebrates such as scorpions and camel spiders; reptiles such as the thorny devil, Gila monster and sidewinder rattlesnake; mammals such as the fennec fox, meerkat, dromedary and Bactrian camel; and birds such as the sandgrouse and lappet-faced vulture.
How many species are in the Sahara?
The Sahara Desert hosts an incredible array of species that are well-adapted to survive in the extreme desert climate. 70 mammalian species, 90 species of birds, 100 species of reptiles, and other smaller forms of life are found in the Sahara Desert.
What is the percentage of animals in the desert?
“Deserts are home to 25 percent of terrestrial vertebrate species and, combined with xeric shrublands, are among the top three richest biomes for terrestrial vertebrates,” the authors write.
What is the largest desert animal?
Desert elephantDesert elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest and heaviest land animal in the world, weighing up to 6 tonnes. You will be stunned by the sheer size and presence of these creatures, not only on the first time you see them but every time to come.
What animals live in the desert?
Animals That Live in the Desert. Wild populations of the Arabian Oryx exist in the deserts of the United Arab Emirates. Desert animals, also known as Xerocoles, are the mammals which are adapted to living in the desert. These animals have to overcome various challenges including excessive heat and lack of water to thrive in the desert.
What is the most common animal in the desert?
The most common desert rats in the wild are the kangaroo rats. These rats hop just like kangaroos, and their hind legs are four-toed. Their front legs are small plus they have relatively large heads.
What is the name of the antelope that grows in the Sahara Desert?
3. Addax Anteloupe. Addax antelopes also referred to as screwhorn or white antelopes are antelopes which belong to the Addax genus which thrives in the Sahara desert. These antelopes were first described in 1816 by Henri Blainville. They have long pale, twisted horns which are 33inches long in male and 31in in females.
What is the order of the desert rats?
2. Desert Rat. Desert rat is a colloquial term which refers to all the rats living in the desert which belong to the order Rodentia. Gerbil, also known as a desert rat is made up of over 110 rat species which live in Asia, India, and Africa, plus this includes jirds and sand rats.
How big do desert larks get?
They can grow up to a maximum length of approximately 6.7in. These birds resemble the Bar-tailed lark in appearance, but they are larger with a less doomed head, longer tails, broader beaks, and stouter legs.
Where do sand cats live?
The sand cat is the only cat species living in the desert. The sand cats are indigenous to Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa deserts. They were listed as near threatened in 2002, but by 2016 they were moved to least concern. These cats thrive in both stony and sandy deserts.
How big is a sand cat?
They have a characterized broad, flat head, 12.2in tail and short legs. The sand cats weigh about 7.5lb, and their head-body length is about 20in. Sand cats communicate using claw marks in their range, scent and spraying urine. 11. Oryx.
Why do desert animals have their name?
They have gotten their name because they build their nest in cactuses. This offers them some protection from the many predators on the ground. This is yet another cool way the desert animals have adapted to the fierce and tough environment of the desert.
Why do animals have to adapt to the desert?
They have to in order to avoid dehydration.
How many eyelids do camels have?
Camels actually have 3 sets of eyelids, in order for them to keep the eyes clean of sand and dirt. As you can imagine, there are a ton of sand and dust flying around in the dry desert landscape.
Where do desert locusts live?
They can be really tough to encounter in the heat as the air will start buzzing all around you! They are found in Africa, the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia. They have a very short life span like many other insects.
Where do rain frogs live?
Here are two other hilarious pictures of Rain Frogs. This one doesn’t look particular fond of being part of this article. The Desert Rain Frog is only found in Africa and it likes sandy shores and sand dunes.
Do horned elk stay in the desert?
They shed the horns annually which is not common among these animals. New horns will grow out again and they are long and pointy as you can see. They are often hunted by tourists which is a shame really. They do not stay in the desert when it gets really hot.
Do birds live in the desert?
Birds in the desert are typically very good at camouflaging themselves. We find a ton of birds in the desert. Some are here to stay and others are just passing by. They are all incredibly good at surviving on the little water and they can stand the extreme temperatures of the dry air.
1. Dingo
Dingos are from the canine family and can hunt their prey both alone or in a pack. They can hunt mammals up to the size of a large kangaroo and can run at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. The Dingo is Australia’s largest terrestrial carnivore and has even been known to hunt down humans!
2. Camel
Camels are highly adept at surviving in the desert. They use their humps to store fat, which is later broken down into water for them to drink. This means that they can stay hydrated while in the desert for long periods. They can absorb up to 30 gallons of water in just 13 minutes.
3. Armadillo
Armadillos thrive in warm climates due to their low body fat percentage and low body temperature. They have a hard armor to protect them from predators and a long, sticky tongue to help them catch and eat their insect prey. They dig burrows in the desert sands to shelter.
4. Coyote
Coyotes are part of the canine family. They have a thick fur that blends into their environment and can run up to speeds of 40 miles per hour. They are excellent hunters and they travel in packs while stalking prey. They communicate with their pack through howls.
5. Giraffe
Giraffes normally occupy the Sahara Desert and spend a lot of their day grazing in loose formations, because their diet consists mainly of leaves and they need around 10 gallons of water per day, meaning their herds are dispersed widely across the Sahara desert.
6. Bats
Bats tend to hibernate often and different types of bats prefer different times of the day. Some bats come out during the day, while others come out at night. The desert is perfect for bats because they feed on insects and vegetation, and like to be in a habitat away from humans.
7. Zebras
Zebras have excellent eyesight, during the day and at night. They normally forage for food during the daylight, feeding on grasses and other vegetation. Zebras are able to survive days without water which makes them well suited to living in the desert where the water supply can be scarce.
1. Jackrabbit
Despite their name, jackrabbits are not rabbits, but they are hares. They can be identified by their large, long, and pointed ears. Originally they were called “jackass rabbits” since they have ears like donkeys, but their name was later shortened.
2. Gray Fox
The gray fox is found in multiple deserts in the U.S., including all four deserts of the American Southwest. They are the only dog family members that can climb trees. Gray foxes use trees to seek refuge, store food, and search for roosting birds. They are small in size, typically 32 to 45 inches long.
3. Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion
The Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion lives up to its name by growing up to 5.5 inches long. They live in northern Mexico and the southwestern states like Texas. These scorpions dig burrows up to 8 feet long and emerge at night. The hairs on their bodies allow them to detect vibrations in the ground for food or predators.
4. Hyenas
Hyenas live mostly in semi-desert habitats and are nocturnal animals. They stay in their dens during the day and hunt at night with their great sense of sight, smell, and sound. These animals have a large frontal cortex in their brain that scientists believe contributes to their high level of intelligence and problem-solving abilities.
5. Sidewinder Rattlesnake
Sidewinder rattlesnakes live in the deserts of California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and northern Mexico. These snakes can switch from being active during the day or during the night, depending on the temperature. They are nocturnal during the warmer months and diurnal during the cooler months.
6. Kangaroo Rat
Kangaroo rats are so well adapted to desert life that they can survive without drinking water. They get the moisture they need from their diet of seeds. They also have amazing hearing, so they can detect predators, such as owls, approaching. These animals are found in the western and southwestern regions of the U.S.
7. Meerkat
Meerkats are known for their distinctive upright standing position. They are social animals that live in elaborate underground tunnels with groups of up to 50 Meerkats. When foraging, sentries will survey the land and alert the group of threats using alarm calls that vary depending on the threat.
How many species of animals live in the Sahara Desert?
The Sahara Desert hosts an incredible array of species that are well-adapted to survive in the extreme desert climate. 70 mammalian species, 90 species of birds, 100 species of rep tiles, and other smaller forms of life are found in the Sahara Desert. The desert hosts the highly feared deathstalker ...
What are the animals that live in the Sahara Desert?
The desert hosts the highly feared deathstalker scorpion, the extremely venomous sand viper, the elegant and fierce cheetah and other equally magnificent species. The Sahara Desert is usually imagined as a vast, parched, lifeless stretch of sandy landscape with scattered nomadic tribes and their domesticated camels.
What is the name of the snake that lives in the desert?
Saharan sand viper. Image credit: reptiles4all/Shutterstock.com. A venomous species of snake, the viper Cerastes vipera inhabits the Sahara Desert. The snakes have a length of about 20-35 cm and possess a broad, triangular head and tiny eyes.
What are the predators in the Sahara Desert?
Saharan Cheetah. Among the top predatory animals that live in the Sahara Desert is the Saharan cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus hecki ). Only about 250 mature adults of this critically endangered species survive today. They are found primarily in the central western parts of the desert.
What is the second largest camel?
Dromedary Camels And Goats. Dromedary camels in the Sahara Desert. The dromedary camel or the Arabian camel ( Camelus dromedarius ), is the second largest camel species after the Bactrian camels. They have a single hump unlike the two humps of the Bactrian species.
What is a desert monitor?
The desert monitor ( Varanus griseus) is a carnivorous lizard species found in the Sahara Desert. This animal is a cold-blooded creature and hence goes into hibernation from September to April. The lizards grow up to 1-2 meters in length and have an average lifetime of about eight years in the wild.
What is the largest hot desert in the world?
However, the Sahara holds much more life than that. It occupies an area of 9,400,000 square km that is comparable to the size of the United States. It stretches across much of Northern Africa, covering about 31% of the African landmass. Thus, it is the largest hot desert in the world.
What are the desert animals?
Deserts are quite common ecoregions on our planet, which can occur in hot climates (hot deserts) and cold (frozen deserts), characterized by their brutal lack of humidity. In them the rains are very occasional or nonexistent, and the soil is therefore arid, dry, hard.
Scorpions
Scorpions surprise their prey by injecting venom from the stinger into their tails.
Characteristics of desert animals
Many animals hide under the sand looking for the freshness of the depths.
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Once common and widely spread in the arid regions (areas with little to no rain) of the Sahara desert, the dama gazelle now lives only about 1% of its historical range, and found primarily in Chad and Sudan. There are fewer than 400 individuals left in the wild, making it a critically endangered species.
About the Author
Olivia is a journalist and editor based in Hong Kong with previous experience covering politics, art and culture. She is passionate about environmental and animal conservation, and all things related to oceans.
