Sahara (3,300,000 square miles) Australian Desert (1,000,000 square miles . Wildlife in the Libyan Sahara desert, animals, insects and plants of the Libyan Sahara, fauna and flora of the African Sahara; singing and musical sand dunes; snakebite and scorpion sting kits, . However, they wont eat any animals droppings. The coastal zones and interior waterways attract many species of water and shore birds. The Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the world. Let us know in the comments below; wed love to hear your views! The Sahara Desert is the third largest desert and, with a hot and dry climate, fits our traditional view of the desert. Apart from the dromedary camel and goats, the desert hosts the highly feared deathstalker scorpion, the extremely venomous sand viper, the elegant and fierce cheetah, the graceful gazelles, the swift-footed red-necked ostrich and other unique and magnificent species. They hunt for food at night. Australian aborigines used to dig the frogs up as a source of water. It has long thorns that hold . They love to bury themselves in the sand in order to hide from their enemies and prey. Author of. The Dorcas gazelles are considered as one of the smallest animals in the world. Follow the link below to find out more and to sign up! The name Sahara is taken from the Arabic word for 'desert'. The one animal that I have chosen to explain about is the monitor lizard. "They are widely considered as prey by many carnivorous reptiles in the Sahara Desert.". There are three camel species: the single-humped dromedary, and the two-humped Bactrian and Wild Bactrian. This small toad is found in deserts and other dry habitats in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. These polar regions are known as cold deserts. It also finds its place on our list of What Animals Live In The Sahara Desert?. In the Green Sahara period there were millions more people living across the region and untold animal diversity. Its body and limbs are covered in rows of spines. They usually live in a community composed of 10 individuals led by males. A to Z list of desert animals with pictures and facts about each species. The Sahara desert is a hot place all year, but July and August are by far the hottest months. Indiscriminate hunting has wiped out large populations of this animal. If you find yourself stranded or lost in the desert, the best way to survive is to get out. Oil, natural gas, and coal reserves have been discovered all over northern Africa and particularly have been exploited by various countries, such as Egypt, Libya, and Algeria. Active Wild Pinterest Active Wild Facebook, Click on the image below to see this weeks animal, (Press your escape key or click the close button below to close this message.). Are there any other desert animals you think should be on this list? These include a sandy colored coat that provides camouflage, and a burrowing lifestyle. The foxs ears serve a dual purpose: not only do they provide extra-sensitive hearing (useful for locating prey that is underground), but they also help to keep the fox cool. Both the camels and the goats were at one time found in the wild, but currently, wild populations of these animals are quite rare. The potent hemotoxin produced by this viper kills its prey almost immediately. A venomous species of snake, the viperCerastes vipera inhabits the Sahara Desert. Sadly, changes in the environment have caused the horned viper to enter the endangered species list. The paintings and carvings of the Sahara are endangered, and vulnerable rock art on uncovered . It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 after hundreds of amazing fossils were discovered in the area. Today, only 39 subpopulations of this canid species exist comprised of 6,600 adults. This is the Sahara. Some of the planet's subtropical deserts include the Kalahari, the Tanami, and the Sahara, which is the largest hot desert in the world. It starts with the sun. Camel spiders are also known as wind scorpions, sun spiders and solifuges. Unlike their fellow arachnids the spiders, camel spiders are unable to produce silk, and do not spin webs. They mainly hunt at night. Most of the 16 members of this family are found either in deserts or other dry habitats. This characterful desert animal lives in groups that can contain up to 50 individuals. Sand dunes in Erg Chigaga with blue sky, Morocco. Helpful for my project! Hamsters are able to carry large amounts of food in the cheek pouches useful if they come across more food than they are able to eat in one sitting. These arachnids feature specialized adaptations that . The last addax in the northern Sahara was killed in the early 1920s; serious depletion of this antelope has also occurred on the southern margins and in the central massifs. Dorcas gazelles are mainly found in Sahara Desert and some regions in North Africa. ANIMAL LIFE Hundreds of species exist in the Sahara desert, ranging from reptiles to mammals. The sand cat has large, pointed ears, and is thought to have hearing that is far more acute than that of a domestic cat. It is around 2.36 in / 6 cm in length, and appears in a variety of colors and markings, making it hard to identify. Females weigh around 12 kilograms and the males weigh 16 kilograms. Disclaimer | The thorny devil is a small lizard found in dry regions throughout most of central and west Australia. They feed on grass seeds and seeds of growing plants. (Its completely free, you can unsubscribe at any time, and well never share your details.). Photo credit: Mohammed ali Moussa. There are two species of mulgara: the brush-tailed mulgara and the crest-tailed mulgara. This type of scorpion is translucent and yellow in appearance, and is among the most venomous animals of the Sahara desert, and the entire world. Uniquely, it is the females of this species that leaves the pack when sexually mature instead of the males. There are approximately 500 species of plants and animals . Aestivation is a state similar to hibernation, in which the frog becomes inactive in order to conserve energy. The Sahara Desert is the third-largest desert on the planet after Antarctica and Arctic deserts. Archaeological findings indicate that there were once ancient Saharan lakes, upon the shores of which humans lived, hunted, and fished. Because both the Arctic and Antarctica have very little rain (or snow) theyre also considered to be deserts. Sahara with its hyper-arid conditions, fierce winds, intense heat and temperature makes adaptability really a fascinating for both humans as well as for animals. Their name derives from their horns, which they use to protect their eyes from the sand as well as to blend in the environment for protection. Some of the biggest catfish and sea snakes to ever exist lived in what is today the Sahara desert, according to a new paper that contains the first . The species has four living subspecies: the Mongolian wild ass, Turkmenian kulan, Persian onager and Indian wild ass. Their diet consists of herd animals such as the Dorcas gazelle or the Addax antelope. The Dragon Tree produces fruit. This large, pale pink bird is found in shallow lakes, lagoons and estuaries in Africa, Asia and Europe. The various snails that inhabit the desert are an important source of food for birds and animals. Animal Print Cowboy & Western Blankets & Throws, Animal Print Cowboy & Western Throw Blankets, Landscape Art Posters & Prints, Australia has a small feral dromedary population made up of the descendants of animals introduced to the country by humans. The desert iguana is active during the day even in high temperatures. An endangered species, the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) is native to sub-Saharan Africa. Small, thickset, herbivorous mammals, the rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) is found across sub-Saharan Africa. Cheetahs, one of the fastest land animals in the world, can also be found in Sahara Desert. Also known as the Asiatic wild ass, the onager is a hoofed mammal in the horse family Equidae. These animals are highly social, living and hunting in large packs. In the central Sahara, the monotony of the plains and plateaus is broken by prominent volcanic massifsincluding Mount Uwaynat and the Tibesti and Ahaggar mountains. Have you ever got confused to determine cheetah and leopards? Third largest desert. 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. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a79f9c66946b4e15c00c7028a6a05b5e" );document.getElementById("baf99b406d").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); News and facts on animals, natural history and science. The Sahara Desert used to be home to dinosaurs such as the Afrovenator, Jobaria, and the Ouranosauras, which have been extinct for nearly 65 million years. Sandgrouses are birds in the family Pteroclidae. The sidewinder is a species of rattlesnake that inhabits desert regions in California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. The species is known for its large ears, which provide both excellent hearing and a means of reducing body heat. They are well adapted to survive the extremes of the desert habitat in which they live. Because living things need water to survive, deserts are home to relatively few plants and animals (especially when compared to habitats such as rainforests, jungles and oceans). In the Viper series, it is the deadliest. Dung beetles, the kind of beetles that love to do work that humans hate. The fat can be burned for energy when the camel is unable to locate any food. Their mouth have some special parts that they use to get nutrients from the droppings of the other animals. Prowling the North Western Sahara is the African cheetah, an elusive cat that leaves people with many questions about this desert predator. The Sahara includes at least part of 10 countriesMorocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, and Sudanplus the territory of Western Sahara. Secondly, it demonstrates the gazelles speed and reflexes to the predator, discouraging it. The species is found in Asia, where it inhabits deserts (including the Gobi desert) and other dry, open habitats. If disturbed, it will quickly retreat into a burrow or other shelter. (Question sheet comes as a printable pdf file.). Lizards, chameleons, skinks, and cobras are found among the rocks and dunes. Summary: As little as 6,000 years ago, the vast Sahara Desert was covered in grassland that received plenty of rainfall, but shifts in the world's weather patterns abruptly . The name Sahara derives from the Arabic noun ar, meaning desert, and its plural, ar. Their bodies are slim and they have slender legs. It still needs to take in water of course, like all living things, but it is able to extract enough from its foods to sufficed for its needs. Each year, many thousands of greater flamingos visit the Makgadikgadi Pan of north eastern Botswana in order to breed. Using this adaptation, the lizard can drink from the dew that forms on its body overnight. Updates? The Sahara is the largest desert on Earth. There are also indigenous names for particular areassuch as the Tanezrouft region of southwestern Algeria and the Tnr region of central Nigerwhich are often of Berber origin. What is the modern economy of the Saharan Desert like? Rock art is one of the best records of the life of past peoples who lived across the Sahara It often depicts extraordinary images of life, landscape and animals that show a time when the Sahara was much greener and wetter than it is now. They range in size from a few millimeters to 15 cm (6 in.) The spiny-tailed lizard grows to up to 34 cm in size. Instead, they choose the dungs (droppings) only from the plant-eating animals, such as elephants, horses, sheep and others. Not all deserts are hot. June marks the beginning of summer when it's usually warmer than 80 F with an average range between 20-31 C. It covers eleven countries: Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Mali, Morocco, Chad, Eritrea, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Sudan, and Tunisia. Interestingly, they can survive without drinking water for a number of days. The group is active during the day, and spends the nights in large burrows. It reaches lengths of around 3 inches (7.6cm), and has pale olive green skin marked with black patches and smaller red spots. The Saharan silver ant has other adaptations for living in the desert: its long legs keep its body away from the hot sand, and it often walks using just four of its six legs, thereby minimizing the area in contact with the sand. The camel is one of the most iconic animals of the Sahara, though its ancestors originated in . The species is also known as both the "white antelope" and the "screwhorn antelope" due to its pale coat and long, spiral horns. The plateaus of the Sahara, such as the Tademat Plateau of Algeria, are typically covered with angular, weathered rock. It only emerges after a period of heavy rain, when it makes its way to a swamp or waterhole in order to breed. Dung beetles make creative use of animal feces. It has an area of more than 9 million square km that is equal to the area of China or the USA. The dromedary camel or the Arabian camel (Camelus dromedarius), is the second largest camel species after the Bactrian camels. Although a bite from a Gila monster is painful, to most healthy humans it isnt life-threatening. It looks like it hardly ever rains here. Plants and Animals of the Sahara Desert. Desert animal adaptations include: large ears for dissipating body heat; a light-colored coat to reflect heat; hairy paws for walking on hot sand; the ability either to store water or to survive on very little water; being nocturnal; and living in a burrow. (5 cm) deep. ~ The soil of the Sahara Desert is home to a drought-resistant herb called thyme (Genus: Thymus). Its base color is grey / light brown, with darker lines running along its back, and dark rings on its tail. Ostriches live in the Sahara Desert. So, lets see each of these animals that inhabit Sahara Desert along with their unique characteristics. Jack Rabbits can be hunted down in the Sahara Desert. Weve selected desert animals from all over the world, and because many of these species are threatened, weve included their conservation status according to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Omissions? in length (including legs). The desert hosts the highly feared deathstalker scorpion, the extremely venomous sand viper, the elegant and fierce cheetah and other equally magnificent species. The black-faced firefinch (Lagonosticta larvata) is a common bird belonging to the estrildid finch family of Africa. These camels are highly adapted to survive in arid conditions and are mainly nocturnal in nature. Term of Use |, 6 Unique Animals in Sahara Desert You Never Know, 7 Amazing Animals that Camouflage Very Well, Find these 7 Amazing Animals in the African Rainforest, specific kind of desert animals you must know. This animal is a cold-blooded creature and hence goes into hibernation from September to April. There are two living species of camel, the Dromedary Camel and the Bactrian Camel. Both mulgaras are carnivorous, feeding mainly on small reptiles, insects and rodents. The Mojave Desert tortoise digs its own burrows, and will hibernate underground during the winter. Some jerboas can hop more than ten times their own body length! The greater roadrunner is one of two species of roadrunner, the other being the lesser roadrunner (Geococcyx velox), which is found in Mexico and Central America. While many people think of deserts as lifeless locations, they are actually quite diverse and rich in life. At first look, golden jackal resembles a small wolf. The greater roadrunner can run at speeds of up to 26 mph (41.8 km/h) faster than any other non-flightless bird (even record-breaking sprinter Usain Bolt can only reach this speed for a few seconds in a race). It gives a light source to the Dragon Tree. Certain groups have long relied on traveling and trading along caravan routes to obtain their livelihood, journeying by camel to oases and population centers all over the Sahara. The two roadrunners are the only living members of the genus Geococcyx, which is part of the cuckoo family, Cuculidae. It is one of the largest North American hares. Its surface is so large that it resembles the surface of countries such as China or the United States. The deathstalker is one desert animal you probably dont want to encounter. Saharan vegetation is generally sparse, with scattered concentrations of grasses, shrubs, and trees in the highlands, in oasis depressions, and along the wadis. It feeds on birds, insects, and rodents. Modern economic development has disrupted many of these traditional means of subsistence, however, with many desert dwellers seeking more lucrative opportunities in developed regions and oases. Many animals in the Sahara desert prey on gazelles, so the Dorcas gazelle has evolved to avoid them on impulse. The desert monitor feeds primarily on rodents, fish, and eggs but it might also feed on birds, small mammals, and other creatures if the opportunity arises. It is most often seen during periods of rainfall, when it emerges from its hiding place. The Sahara sits atop the African Shield, which is composed of heavily folded and denuded Precambrian rocks. Frogs, toads, and crocodiles live in the lakes and pools of the Sahara. . These gazelles possess a pale coat color that reflects sunlight and enlarged hooves that allow them to walk smoothly in the desert sand. A 2020 study, whose results were published in 2021, found the species to be Critically Endangered. Camels are among the most famous of all desert animals. Links to further information are provided for many of the animals. Hunting for meat and habitat loss threatens the survival of this species. The dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas), a small gazelle species, inhabits the Sahara Desert and surrounding grasslands. Click the picture above for more details &to view free sample pages! The dorcas gazelle is well-adapted to life in the desert. It began to dry up around 4000 years ago due to a gradual change in the tilt of the Earth's orbit. Fennec foxes are mostly found in North Africa and in the sandy areas of the Sahara Desert. The wild Bactrian camel is said to be able to tolerate water even saltier than seawater. The Gila monster is one of only two venomous lizards found in the Americas (the other is the closely related Mexican beaded lizard). Only around 950 wild Bactrian camels remain in the wild. These creatures have longer legs than other ants and produce heat shock proteins before exiting their burrows. ~ Apart from being a major food source for the animals of the desert, thyme is commonly used in African and Middle Eastern cuisines. Many camel spiders can be identified by their large, powerful mouth parts. Children, the aged, and the sock individuals are also at risk of dying by envenomation in extreme cases of deathstalker bites. You can find out more about sand cats on this page: You can find out more about the thorny devil here: You can find out more about the wild Bactrian camel here. Various halophytes (salt-tolerant plants) are found in saline depressions. The serirs and regs differ in character in various regions of the desert but are believed to represent Cenozoic depositional surfaces. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Designart 'Desert in Western Sahara' Landscape Printed Throw at the best online prices at eBay! Although the snakes head points in the direction of travel, its body appears to be moving sideways. Outbreaks of infectious diseases, persecution by humans, and habitat destruction are responsible for the decline in African wild dog populations. Some scientists estimate that the Sahara became arid about two to three million years ago, while others contend that it happened before this. You can see a list of desert plants here: Discover more about deserts on this page: Explore famous deserts from all around the world: Find out more about the deserts of North America: You can find out more about camel spiders here: You can find out more about scorpions here: You can find out more about this animal here: You can find out more about this species here: You can find out more about the Gila monster here: You can find out more about this desert species on this page: You can find out more about meerkats on this page: You can find out more about the Mojave desert tortoise here: Where found: Desert regions of the United States & Mexico. They are able to subsist almost entirely on animal waste. Hunting for food, capture for farming, loss of habitat, etc., has led to the rapid decline of the population of this ostrich. It feeds mainly on smaller insects and mammals that it can find. Horned vipers are nocturnal animals as they are more active at night. The Major Parts Of The Sahara Desert In Africa, Meet 12 Incredible Conservation Heroes Saving Our Wildlife From Extinction, India's Leopard God, Waghoba, Aids Wildlife Conservation In The Country, India's Bishnoi Community Has Fearlessly Protected Nature For Over 500 Years, Wildfires And Habitat Loss Are Killing Jaguars In The Amazon Rainforest, In India's Sundarbans: Where People Live Face-To-Face With Wild Tigers, Africa's "Thunderbird" Is At Risk Of Extinction. The species is native to Mauritania, Chad, and Niger. It is the smallest member of the dog family Canidae, with a maximum body length of around 16 in. Many animals have found ways to thrive in deserts, and so have many plants. Texas A&M University. Unlike most desert animals, Saharan silver ants forage in the middle of the day, when the Sahara can reach temperatures of up to 158 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius). Also known as African hunting dogs, African wild dogs are equipped with unique patterns on their coat, consisting of black, brown, yellow and white colors. They are active either at twilight or at night, thereby avoiding the hottest hours of the day. The sidewinder is also known as the horned rattlesnake due to the horn-like scales that project out from above its eyes. They live in big groups of 10-80 animals and forage together. Animals such as the desert snail survive by using estivation, a period of dormancy that some animals can enter when encountering extreme environmental stress. These gazelles are active between dusk to dawn when they forage for leaves, fruits, twigs, and flowers of desert vegetation. The lakes and pools of the Sahara also contain algae and brine shrimp and other crustaceans. Have you seen any of these animals in the wild? Kangaroo rats have made several adaptations to enable them to survive in the desert, including: getting moisture from their seed diet; living in burrows during the day to avoid extreme heat; Like the gazelle, the Addax antelope is well known for its sleekness and its beauty. For more details, and a selection of other question sheets, see this page: Free Printable Worksheets. This keeps the fox warm at night, when temperatures in the Sahara Desert can be surprisingly low, even (occasionally) dropping below 0 C. Anyone else has a project in 2021? Mulgaras are rat-sized marsupials found in desert regions of central Australia. A long tail helps the jerboa to keep its balance when hopping or standing upright. The dromedary is by far the most abundant camel, representing 94% of all camels. Sadly they have been hunted to the point where there are only around 500 left. Some of the oldest rock art found in the Sahara is 8,000 to 12,000 years old This period is called the Early . Deserts are home to some of the most interesting animals in the world. Photo: Haytem93, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, (cropped / resized by ActiveWild.com) The addax is a critically endangered species of antelope found in the Sahara Desert. Both the Turkmenian kulan and Persian onager are rated Endangered. Nom nom! The Sahara desert is an incredibly diverse habitat and it is home to a variety of animals. The color of the spots ranges from black to bright brown. Below you can see that the month-to-month weather in Merzouga boasts clear skies year-round. The Fennec fox (Vulpes zerda) is the smallest canid species with unusually large ears that help dissipate heat. This way of moving is also used by other desert snakes, and is known as sidewinding. If that isn't an option, you may need to forage or hunt for various foods in the desert. 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