Animals that live in the Sahara desert
The Sahara is one of the largest deserts in the world.It is located in North Africa, and some of its sand dunes can reach almost two hundred meters high.from a dry and dry desert, where you can find some oases around which certain types of animal and plant life develop.Among the surviving animals we can mention:
Adax (Addax nasomaculatus)
Although formerly the Sahara was one of its habitats, today the adax is in critical danger of extinction, so there is only a small population in countries like Nigeria and Chad.
En a kind of antilope that has diminished by indiscriminate hunting.In its old distribution, the adax adapted perfectly to Saharan conditions.It is capable of living with few amounts of water, because it rests during the most hours hot of the day; at night, it fed on the little vegetation found in the desert.
Camel arabigo (Camelus dromedarius)
Also called dromedary , this is of a mammal in its species, whose main characteristic is a hump that is located on its back.To resist the hot sands of the desert, the camel needs to adapt its body, so it has long-lasting eyelashes to prevent sand from entering in his eyes, and calloused knees and ankles that isolate the high temperatures.
However, the most notable feature of this camel is the hump, where it is capable of producing water with the fat it accumulates.In this way, the animal remains hydrated no matter how far the next source of water is.
Discover the differences between camel and dromedary!
West African crocodile (Crocodylus suchus)
It extends not only in the Saharan desert, but in different countries of Africa.Antiquity, it was one of the species revered by the Egyptians as a god, so it was mummified.
It is distributed in the Saharan region that belongs to Mauritania.It is protected from the sun not only with its powerful shell , but also giving refreshing baths to the banks of the river.
Yellow scorpion (Leiurus quinquestriatus)
Also called Palestinian, it has a yellowish hue in all its body, with a tail that ends in black on many occasions.Precisely that characteristic allows it to remain hidden from its possible predators.
When this does not work, the scorpion has a poison that, although not usually mortal, if it is extremely painful for those who are victims of an attack.
Zorro fenec (Vulpes zerda)
This is a small mammal of the canine family, which inhabits this desert.Its fur, between blond and reddish, allows you to easily camouflage with the sand dunes.One of its may Distinctive prayers are the long ears , which allow you to regulate your temperature to cool the body when the heat is very intense.It is mostly nocturnal, at which time it leaves your burrow to hunt.You can survive a long time without water, waiting to find an oasis.
Animals that live in the desert of Mexico
The desert of Mexico occupies about 40% of the total area of the country. It is not just one, but four deserts in different parts of the country: San Luis de Potosi, Baja California, Sonora and Chihuahua.Some of these deserts are not only part of Mexico, but also of the United States.
In each of them inhabit different species of desert animals and plants, such as They are:
Comet or fast fox (Vulpes velox)
From the size of a homemade cat, the fast fox not only feeds on other animals, but also fruits and herbs.the desert builds burrows in the sand, where it stays cool during the day, hunting at night .
Berrendo or American antilope (Antilocapra americana)
It is not only found in Mexico, but also in some areas of the United States and Canada.It is a mammal similar to the antilope, but unique in its kind, which moves in droves, over all or during more times Warm.Adapted to the hostile environment of the deserts, it feeds on the scarce herbs found, and even cactus, so characteristic of dry and sandy ecosystems.
Tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)
He lives on land and only approaches aquatic environments at the time of reproduction.The larvae are very resistant, so they are able to support their development in adverse natural conditions, such as those present in deserts It feeds mostly on small worms and insects.
Large Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
The Roadrunner became very popular thanks to cartoons, but its real appearance did not It is not at all similar to what they give on television.It is a rather small bird, which can only make flights at low altitude, so it stays most of the time on land, but that indeed if it is capable of run at higher speeds, a little more than 30km per time.
Coyote (Canis latrans)
Another animal that the cinema has made known as a feature of the Mexican desert, but that is also possible to find in North America.ease to various ecosystems, which allows you to live in the arid environment.During the warmest months, it belongs in herds, as a way of having support when hunting and protecting from enemies.
Animals that live in the desert of Chile
In Chile there are several deserts, of which the most popular is that of Atacama, located in the north of the country, and which is the masarido of the world .The area It is rich in metallic, non-metallic resources and magnesium salt, important sources of the Chilean economy.One of its peculiarities is the phenomenon of the florid desert, which consists in the growth of an unusual amount of flowers when rainfall in the area exceeds the annual average.
Chile also includes sections of deserts that share with bordering countries, such as the Pacific desert and the South American desert.Now, these are some of the animals that abound in the desert and that you can find among its dunes:
Vicuna (Vicugna vicugna)
It is a mammal of the family of camels , beige fur and cream, so it is easily confused with desert areas.Its legs are padded, allowing or that they move without much difficulty on very hot or rocky soils; In addition, their thick and dense fur protects them from the inclemency of the temperature, blocking the wind, the waste that it brings, and protecting the vicuna from the cold when the temperature drops at night.
Guanaco (Lama guanicoe)
It is a mammal also of the family of camels, of delicate texture.It feeds on small grasses and bushes.It lives in flocks, where the male is responsible for protecting to the young and the female.Its fur is between reddish and sandy, beneficial for an animal that lives between dunes and rocks.
Vizcacha of the mountains (Lagidium viscacia)
It is a rodent physically similar to the hare, which can be found not only in Chile, but also in Peru and Argentina.The fur is thick, which protects it from the desert wind and keeps it warm at night.It takes refuge among the rocks, and feeds on small grasses.
Gray wolf (Canis lupus)
It is a canine species of m huge size that most wolves, gray fur and sand in some areas.It is not distributed only in the deserts, since it is also possible to find it in meadows and fields.However, the gray wolf easily adapts to almost any environment, so that in the desert it feeds on reptiles and small rodents and mammals, like mice and hares.
Does the dog really descend from the wolf? Discover it in Animals and Pets Online!
Flamingos (Phoenicopterus)
Although it seems curious, flamingos are typical animals in the Atacama desert.Most of them accumulate in the National Reserve of Flamingos, where despite the desert climate, they find rivers and other water sources, making the life of these beautiful birds possible.
Animals that live in the desert of Antarctica
Surely you are wondering, a desert, in the Antarctic? The truth is that the word "desert" does not imply only drylands where heat reigns, but any inhospitable space where life, called fauna or flora, is scarce due to adverse conditions .Taking this into account, What a desolate place, at least in appearance, than the ice continent?
Even so, plants and animals have managed to develop enough defenses for this to be their home.What animals are in the Antarctic desert? Some of them are:
Seal (Phocidae)
Mammal mostly marine, but also able to survive on land.More than hair, the seals are covered with a thick layer of skin, whose main function is to withstand low temperatures.They feed on penguins, fish and other marine animals.
Penguin (Spheniscidae)
Although it is a bird, the penguin does not fly, so that their life develops on land and, above all, in the water.To do this, their wings have adapted perfectly to the ocean , where they function as fins capable of propelling them very quickly.It is also conditioned to withstand the cold weather, so under the superficial layer of feathers, they have a fat that keeps them warm.
Discover the types of penguins that exist!
Antarctic petrel (Thalassoica antarctica)
Lead colored bird with white breast, is distributed in certain regions of the Antarctic continent.Its body is story adapted to withstand the cold, and feeds on small marine animals that hunt in the icy waters, such as krill and other crustaceans.
Marine elephant (Mirounga)
Mammal presenting a marked dimorphism between males and females, as males weigh and measure twice as much as their female counterparts.They feed on other marine animals, and the considerable layer of fat that forms the elephant's body protects them against the gelid water of the Antarctica.
Antarctic sea lion (Arctophoca gazella)
Mammal of the same seal family, capable of living both on land and in the ocean.It feeds on krill, fish and Crustaceans.As with his relatives, the main adaptation of his body to the habitat is the thick layer of skin and fat that insulates the cold.
Animals that live in other deserts
On the planet Earth there are other deserts, where different species live.Among them, it is possible to mention:
- Zopilote
- Dorcas gazelle
- Dingo
- Barn owl
- Hyena
- Wildcat
- African wild dog
- Cobra
- Pecari
- Beetles
- Desert Elephant
- Aranas
- Mice
- Narval
- Krill
If you want to read more articles similar to Animals that live in the desert and their characteristics , we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.
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