The desert can be a harsh, unforgiving environment. Despite this, many different types of animals thrive in the deserts of the world. If you want to learn more about some of the most well-known animals that live in the desert, keep reading. Below, we’ll discuss our top 10 list.
What You'll Learn Today
1. Rattlesnake
A variety of snake species live in deserts, but rattlesnakes are some of the most common. In particular, sidewinder and diamondback rattlesnakes populate the deserts of the American southwest.
These poisonous vipers are native to the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts. Colors and patterns can vary, but both types of snakes are generally brown, several feet long, and have distinctive rattles on their tails.
The snakes eat a variety of prey animals by swallowing them whole. Sidewinder rattlesnakes hunt at night during the hot summer months and are more active during the day when the weather is cooler.
2. Camel
Camels are some of the most iconic and recognizable desert animals in the world. There are two distinct species, bactrians and dromedaries.
Dromedary camels, notable for having only one hump, are found in the Sahara Desert, while the two-humped bactrian camels are native to the Gobi Desert. The humps store water and nutrients, enabling camels to survive long periods without food or water.
Camels also have two sets of eyelashes and the ability to close their nostrils to protect their eyes and noses from the sand. They are well adapted to walking on sand and have the ability to drink as much as 40 gallons within a few minutes when they find a water source.
3. Jackrabbit
Jackrabbits are actually species of hares rather than rabbits. They are common through the deserts of the western U.S. and are well adapted to desert environments.
Jackrabbits have large ears that help regulate their body temperatures and prevent overheating. The thick fur on their feet protects them from the hot sand, and their sharp teeth help them chew tough desert plants like yucca and sagebrush.
Jackrabbits also require little water to survive, receiving most of what they need from the plants they eat. Their appendixes assist in digestion by breaking down tough plant materials before they enter the stomach.
4. Scorpion
Scorpions are arachnids found throughout the world, most commonly in desert regions. There are more than 1,500 distinct scorpion species.
Scorpions are highly adaptable, with many able to withstand temperatures as high as 117 degrees Fahrenheit. Physical adaptations like moving bristles on their legs enable them to walk easily across the sand.
In some deserts, scorpions are the most abundant creatures aside from ants and termites. They are most active at night which allows them to escape some of the most brutal high temperatures.
5. Lizard
There are thousands of lizard species in the world, many of which live in desert environments. Like camels and snakes, lizards are highly recognizable desert dwellers.
Some common lizards that live in deserts include Gila monsters, horned lizards, bearded dragons, earless lizards, and desert iguanas. All of these creatures are cold-blooded, so the heat of the desert helps to keep their body temperatures regulated.
Desert lizards range in size from a couple inches to nearly two feet long. They eat a variety of plants and small prey animals, meeting most of their hydration needs through the food they eat.
6. Roadrunner
There are two species of roadrunner, both of which are found in North and Central America. These speedy land birds usually live in the Sonoran, Chihuahuan, and Mojave Deserts.
Roadrunners typically run away from predators, reaching speeds of 15 to 20 miles per hour. They survive in the desert by dispelling heat through unfeathered areas under their chins and going into a hibernation-like state when sleeping to regulate body temperature.
Roadrunners eat a variety of small prey animals, including poisonous creatures like scorpions and armored animals like horned lizards.
7. Kangaroo
Kangaroos are native to Australia. Red kangaroos, in particular, are known for surviving and thriving in desert conditions with very little water.
Kangaroos are most active at dawn, dusk, and nighttime to avoid wasting energy and resources during the hottest parts of the day. They drink very little and conserve water by passing concentrated urine.
Kangaroos also have ways of keeping themselves cool during the day; for example, they will lick their arms to cool themselves with their own saliva.
8. Meerkat
Meerkats are found in the Kalahari Desert and other arid regions of southern Africa. They are well adapted to harsh desert conditions.
Meerkats have a third eyelid to protect their eyes from sand and dark coloration around their eyes that reduces the sun’s glare, helping them see better. They need very little water and get most of it from their plant- and animal-based food sources.
Meerkats live in colonies and create complex burrows that they use when escaping from predators. The burrows maintain a steady temperature that also provides shelter from extreme temperatures.
9. Fox
Different kinds of foxes live in the desert. For example, the fennec fox is found in North African deserts, while the gray fox is common in the deserts of the U.S.
These fox species have different adaptations that help them survive in the particular environments in which they live. Fennec foxes have large ears that dispel heat, while gray foxes are capable of climbing trees to seek shelter from the heat and to store food.
Fennec foxes also have thick fur covering their paws to protect them from the hot sand, and they require very little water to survive.
10. Bighorn Sheep
Bighorn sheep are found in many regions of North America. Though they don’t all live in deserts, those that do have adapted incredibly well to desert environments.
These impressive mammals can go for weeks on very little water and survive while losing up to 20 percent of their water weight. They satisfy most of their hydration needs from their food and can recover quickly and easily from dehydration.
Sometimes they will use their horns to break open barrel cacti, which contain large amounts of water in their flesh. They are also capable of surviving temperature fluctuations, a unique property among mammals that helps them survive in extreme climates.
Learn more about bighorn sheep in the video below:
Conclusion
Many animals have adapted to the dry, hot conditions of the world’s deserts. A few of these animals include camels, scorpions, rattlesnakes, lizards, and meerkats.
