Desert Animals

learn about various desert animals and how they survive in such a harsh climate.

1. KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA UJJAIN ENGLISH PROJECT WORK DESERT ANIMALS ADAPTATIONS, HABITAT… Prepared by Divyansh Khare

2. Desert- a place where nothing is everything Far from being barren wastelands, deserts are biologically rich habitats with a vast array of animals and plants that have adapted to the harsh conditions there. Some deserts are among the planet's last remaining areas of total wilderness. Yet more than one billion people, one-sixth of the Earth's population, actually live in desert regions. Deserts cover more than one fifth of the Earth's land, and they are found on every continent. A place that receives less than 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain per year is considered a desert. Deserts are part of a wider classification of regions called "dry lands." These areas exist under a moisture deficit, which means they can frequently lose more moisture through evaporation than they receive from annual precipitation. And despite the common conceptions of deserts as dry and hot, there are cold deserts as well.

3. The largest hot desert in the world, northern Africa's Sahara, reaches temperatures of up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) during the day. But some deserts are always cold, like the Gobi desert in Asia and the desert on the continent of Antarctica. Others are mountainous. Only about 10 percent of deserts are covered by sand dunes. The driest deserts get less than half an inch (one centimeter) of precipitation each year, and that is from condensed fog not rain. Desert animals have adapted ways to help them keep cool and use less water. Camels, for example, can go for days without food and water. Many desert animals are nocturnal, coming out only when the brutal sun has descended to hunt. Some animals, like the desert tortoise in the southwestern United States, spend much of their time underground. Most desert birds are nomadic, crisscrossing the skies in search of food. Because of their very special adaptations, desert animals are extremely vulnerable to introduced predators and changes to their habitat.

4. Desert plants may have to go without fresh water for years at a time. Some plants have adapted to the arid climate by growing long roots that tap water from deep underground. Other plants, such as cacti, have special means of storing and conserving water. Many desert plants can live to be hundreds of years old. Some of the world's semi-arid regions are turning into desert at an alarming rate. This process, known as "desertification," is not caused by drought, but usually arises from the demands of human populations that settle on the semi-arid lands to grow crops and graze animals. The pounding of the soil by the hooves of livestock may degrade the soil and encourage erosion by wind and water. Global warming also threatens to change the ecology of desert. Higher temperatures may produce an increasing number of wildfires that alter desert landscapes by eliminating slow-growing trees and shrubs and replacing them with fast-growing grasses.

5. ANIMALS OF THE DESERT –FANRTASTICALLY INTERESTING Desert animals have evolved to handle the desert's heat and lack of water. They have adapted their bodies and behaviors to the desert climate. Most can survive on small amounts of water and many get all of their water from their food. Some drink maybe once a week and travel considerable distances to find isolated waterholes and springs. Large animals seek shade during the hottest part of the day. Some animals dig a hollow depression into the ground and lie in the cooler soil while others are nocturnal. Many reptiles and other animals protect themselves from the extreme temperature by spending their time in burrows. Below you will find a sampling of the animals that inhabit the desert, along with a few interesting facts about each.

6. DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP   Desert Bighorn Sheep  (Mojave, Chihuahuan, Sonoran) - indigenous to the hot desert habitats of the Southwest region of the United States. They are considered good indicators of land health because the species is sensitive to many human-induced environmental problems. They use their hooves and horns to remove spines from cacti, then eat the juicy insides. Desert Bighorns utilize two mechanisms for cooling -- perspiring, and also panting, which is a fairly uncommon adaptation for desert animals.

7. SCORPION Scorpion  (all deserts) - it is the last five segments of the scorpions abdomen that forms what most people refer to as the "tail" at the end of which is the venomous stinger. The "long-tailed" South African Scorpion reaches a length of over 8 inches, and is probably the longest scorpion in the world. Scorpions have a complex mating ritual in which the male uses his pedipalps to grasp the female's pedipalps in order to lead her on a "courtship dance".  There are almost 2,000 scorpion species, but only 30 or 40 have strong enough poison to kill a person. The many types of venom are effectively tailored to their users' lifestyles, however, and are highly selected for effectiveness against that species' chosen prey.

8. OSTRICH Ostrich  (Sahara, Kalahari) - skeletons and fossils of ostriches have been found which date back over 120 million years! Ostriches are the second fastest animal in the world and can run at 40 miles per hour. They can maintain this speed for at least 30 minutes. Ostriches do not bury their head in the sand. Ostriches stretch out their neck and lay their head on the ground to keep from being seen, hence the myth that ostriches hide in the sand. The ostrich is the world's largest bird. An ostrich lives for about 40 years. The Ostrich is  farmed  around the world, particularly for its feathers, which are decorative and are also used as  feather dusters . Its skin is used for  leather  products and its meat is marketed commercially. [3]

9. COLLARED LIZARD Collared Lizard  (Mojave, Sonoran) - very predatory and when frightened and running fast, will rear up and run on its hind legs (bipedal), a rarity in lizards . If a predator grabs the Baja Black Collared lizard by the tail, the skin comes off! This lizard gets its name from the two dark bands or collars encircling the throat area Notice the pronounced jaw muscles. This lizard is carnivorous, eating - insects, small rodents, and other lizards. These reptiles are often tamed and kept as pets. When born in captivity, they are quite docile and tolerant of interaction with humans. They are very active and predatory lizards, requiring a large amount of space to run. They prefer high temperatures, up to 105–110 °F (41–43 °C) at their basking spot and 80 °F (27 °C) elsewhere in their habitat during the day.

10. KANGAROO RAT    Kangaroo Rat  (Mojave, Sonoran , Chihuahuan , Great Basin) - have the ability to convert the dry seeds they eat into water, and they neither sweat nor pant like other animals to keep cool. They spend their days in their burrows where the air is moist and humid. Kangaroo rats are primarily seed eaters. They will, however, sometimes eat vegetation at some times of the year and some insects.  They have been observed storing the seeds of mesquite, creosote, bush, purslane , ocotillo and grama grass in their cheek pouches. Kangaroo rat will store extra seeds in seed caches. This caching behavior has an impact on the rangeland and croplands where the animals live.  Kangaroo rats seem to have two major periods of activity: one around 9 pm and the other about 3 am when there is the most moisture in the air!

11. CAMELS Camels  (Gobi, Sahara) - the Bactrian camel has two humps and lives in the Gobi desert; the Dromedary camel has one hump and lives in the Sahara desert. Camels have the ability to close their eyes and nostrils to keep out blowing sand and dust. The Dromedary camel is capable of drinking 30 gallons (100 letters) of water in just 10 minutes! Camels store fat in their hump, not water! In fact baby camels are born without humps because the layer of fat does not develop until they eat solid food. The average  life expectancy  of a camel is 40 to 50  years . A fully grown adult camel stands 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) at the shoulder and 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in) at the hump. The hump rises about 75 cm (30 in) out of its body.

12. ELF OWL    Elf Owl  ( Chihuahuan ) - one of the smallest owls in the world, the Elf owl is only 5 1/2 inches tall!. It lives in hollowed out cactus trunks, where it is protected from most predators. When captured, this tiny owl likes to play opossum and feigns death until it is sure that all danger has passed! Elf Owls feed mainly on insects and therefore occupy habitats with a ready supply of these.  Agaves  and  ocotillos  are ideal places for foraging as  moths and other insects may sleep in their flowers. Elf owls are known to eat  scorpions , somehow managing to cut off the stinger. They are often seen chasing after flying insects, with a flight similar to a  tyrant flycatcher 's just after dusk.

13. SIDEVINDER SNAKE    Sidewinde r  (Mojave, Sonoran , Chihuahuan , Namib) - use a side winding motion to move across the hot surface sand and have only a small part of the body on the hot sand at one time. Like many other snakes the diet of the Sidewinder  consists of small rodents such as the  Kangaroo Rat  and  lizards.  The Sidewinder uses venom to kill its prey.   Though a bite is probably not lethal to humans due to its  small size, the Sidewinder is poisonous and if bitten a  person should seek professional medical attention  immediately.     

14. ECHIDNA Echidna (Spiny Anteater )  (Australian) - lays eggs and produces milk for its young. The Echidna has a pointy snout and an extremely long sticky tongue used to catch ants and termites. They make a sniffing noise as they search for food! Because they have no teeth the Echidna crushes the insects between thorny pads in its mouth. Echidnas and the platypus are the only egg-laying mammals, known as monotremes . The female lays a single soft-shelled, leathery  egg  22 days after mating, and deposits it directly into her pouch. Hatching takes place after ten days; the young echidna, called a puggle , then sucks  milk  from the  pores of the two   milk patches  .

15. ADDAX ANTELOPE Addax Antelope  (Sahara) - currently, no more than several dozen in Algeria, Niger, and the Sudan remain in the wild. These beautiful antelope have been hunted to near extinction for their horns. Addax possess broad, flat hooves with flat soles that help prevent them from sinking into the desert sand! Addax will dig depressions in the sand in which to rest. These are often located partly underneath boulders that give shade and protection from the wind and sun.  Male addax stand from 105 to 115 centimetres (41 to 45 in) at the shoulder, with females at 95 to 110 centimetres (37 to 43 in).

16. GREATER ROADRUNNER Greater Roadrunner  ( Sonoran , Mojave, Chihuahuan ) - has the ability to lower its body temperature in response to lower night temperatures in the desert habitat. they raise the body temperature with the help of a black patch on their back which they expose to absorb the rays of the sun. Roadrunners run very fast (up to 15 miles per hour!), and can chase down swift prey, such as lizards, with ease. They prefer to walk or run, and, when they fly, it is usually close to the ground for short distances. The roadrunner is about 52–62 cm (20–24 in) long, has a 43–61 cm (17–24 in) wingspan and weighs 221–538 g (7.8–19.0 oz). It stands around 25–30 cm (9.8–12 in) tall and is the largest.

17. SAND CAT    Sand Cat  (Sahara, Gobi, Arabian, Turkestan) - well adapted to cope with the extremes of its environment - its thick fur is of medium length and acts as insulation against the extreme cold of the desert nights and its feet and pads are covered with long hair which protect them from the heat of the desert surface and give it extra support needed in moving across the soft, shifting sands. The sand cat is a relatively small, stocky cat with short legs, a long tail, and large, pointed ears. They range from 39 to 57 centimetres (15 to 22 in) in length, plus a 23 to 31 centimetres (9.1 to 12 in)  tail , and weigh from 1.4 to 3.4 kilograms (3.1 to 7.5 lb).

18. THE STORY IS NOT YET FINISHED, THANK YOU!