Animals That Live In The Desert

They can withstand high temperatures and an oppressive sun … They can also go days without drinking water and looking for food at night. The animals that live in the desert have a very sacrificial existence, but they have been able to adapt to that environment and survive the extreme conditions. In this article we will tell you more about them.

What are the animals that live in the desert?

Despite spending their lives in very extreme conditions of heat, wind and dry climate, these animals have been able to survive and adapt to the desert habitat:

1. Camel

It belongs to the genus of Artiodactyl mammals and to the Camelidae family. They are known as camels or dromedaries, and their ecosystem is desert or dry, especially in Asia and Africa. It is a ruminant without horns or hooves that stores fat (and not water, as is believed) in its humps. It can live up to 50 years and measure 1.85 meters (or 2.15 meters taking into account the hump). It is passive in nature, although to defend itself it can release saliva that causes burning in the eyes.

2. Red-necked ostrich

Also called the Sahara ostrich, it lives in North Africa and is the most robust of its species, as well as the fastest. It can withstand several days without drinking water, and both the neck and the legs are reddish (in males this tone becomes more intense during the mating season). Many specimens live in the Souss Massa National Park in Morocco, as they are in danger of extinction.

3. Roadrunner

This bird that lives on the border between Mexico and the United States (coastal and desert plains) has terrestrial habits and only glides towards trees and bushes. It feeds on small reptiles and insects and has dark plumage to blend in with the ground. Its large tail serves as a “rudder” for running and making quick turns. It can reach 32 km / hour.

4. Dorcas Gazelle

This familiar artiodactyl mammal of dromedaries lives in the deserts of North Africa (between Egypt and Western Sahara). It can be 65 cm tall and weigh 20 kg. It prefers ecosystems such as steppes, mountain deserts, and grasslands. It has long ears and curved horns, a light brown body, and a white belly. They can go a long time without drinking, since they obtain liquid from the humidity of the leaves. They are most active at night.

5. Adax

Another animal that lives in the desert is this antelope up to 120 kg in weight and 1 meter in height. It has ringed horns of vertical growth, both in males and females. It is a relative of the Oryx of Arabia and lives in desert and stony terrain. It can survive without water and eating the sparse desert vegetation. It is inactive in the hottest hours and usually moves between dusk and dawn.

6. Dingo

It is a typical Australasian species of wolf that is known as “wild dog”, since it shares characteristics of wolves and dogs. Their appearance is believed to resemble the ancestors of our pets. The color of the coat is yellow, reddish or sand, they live alone or in herds, they are very territorial, they do not bark but they do howl a lot.

7. Coyote

Its name means “barking dog”, and it is a carnivorous mammal that lives in North America mostly (especially in Canada and the North of the United States), and there is a subspecies, known as “from the mountains of California”, that inhabits desert areas, with little vegetation and little water.

8. Vulture

The American black vulture lives mainly in the southern United States, feeding on eggs and newborn animals. It uses its keen eyesight to provide itself with food, it can weigh up to 2 kg and has mostly black plumage. It prefers low areas, with rocks and stones.

Other animals that live in the desert are: False chameleon, Fennec, coyote, gerbil, peregrine falcon and hedgehog.

Image source: Yathin S Krishnappa, Mostafameraji and Justin Johnsen.