Interesting Facts about Desert Animals

Discover amazing information about animals in the desert with Factsmania's encyclopedia of Interesting Facts for Kids which examine the adaptations and survival of desert animals including wildlife species living in the Sahara, Gobi, Mojave, Kalahari, and Atacama Desert biomes.

On our journey of the world's deserts, we will discover important information and the most interesting facts about desert biome animals including mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, arachnids and arthropods. With printable facts about desert animal adaptations, food chains and the importance of animals and their position in the food web, kids can learn all about the survival of desert biome animals.

Interesting Facts about Desert Biome Animals:- Discover fun facts about Animals that live in the Desert with our information on the Sahara, Gobi, Kalahari, Mojave and Atacama for children. Factsmania provides printable fact sheets with clear definitions and summaries about desert animals for kids; ideal for homework help and teacher guides. Discover why many animals are naturally suited to life in the desert and how their characteristics help them adapt to particularly arid conditions, hot temperatures, lack of vegetation and water, and many other environmental factors which are determined by harsh climates.

Interesting Facts about Desert Biome Animals:- Our A-Z list of Desert Biome Animals provides interesting facts for kids and school teachers about the most dangerous, common, rarest, biggest, smallest animals and endangered wildlife species found living in deserts across the world. Explore interesting facts about the characteristics, habitats and diets of desert animals and how they survive, change and adapt according to their environment which is often determined by extreme climate conditions and temperatures.

Interesting Facts about Desert Animals for Kids

Interesting Facts about Desert Animals for Kids:- Desert Camel Facts:
Dromedary camels are found living in the Sahara Desert in North Africa where the climate is very hot and dry. Desert camels are herbivores which means their diet consists mainly of plants and grasses. They adapt well to desert life as these big, hardy animals store fat in their humps and can drink up to 46 litres of water in one day! Their ability to maintain substantial energy levels means that camels can travel for many days without food or water.

Interesting Facts about Desert Animals for Kids:- Desert Camel Adaptations:
Dromedary camels have many characteristics which help them survive life in the desert, they are able to make the necessary adaptations with the help of such characteristic including: three sets of eyelids and thick eyebrows to protect their eyes from the sun, sand and dust, nostrils which they can open and close to prevent sand from entering their nose, and hair inside their ears to protect them from sand. Desert camels have wide feet which enable them to walk across the sand without sinking, and they have thick lips to protect them from prickly desert plants when they're eating.

Interesting Facts about Desert Animals for Kids:- Desert Antelope Adaptations:
Various species of antelope are found living in the desert, and many species are in fact native to Africa. Amongst the types of antelope living in the Sahara Desert are the Addax and the Oryx. The Addax is known by other names including the Screwhorn and White Antelope. It is a large mammal with twisted horns and splayed hooves which enable this animal to move easily across desert land.

Interesting Facts about Desert Animals for Kids:- Desert Gazelle Adaptations:
Amongst the gazelle species living in the desert is the dorcas gazelle which is a small mammal found in semidesert areas of Africa and Arabia.  One of the most interesting features that makes this animal particularly suited to desert life is its ability to survive without drinking water. Although the dorcas gazelle will drink water, it doesn't need to as it can obtain the moisture it requires from its diet of plants which includes leaves, pods, flowers and fruits. As with many desert animals, the dorcas gazelle is often threatened by predators and therefore, has to run very fast to escape such situations. Their ability to withstand hot temperatures and climate conditions makes life in the desert more bearable for the dorcas gazelle.

Interesting Facts about Desert Animals for Kids:- Marbled Polecat Adaptations:
Marbled Polecats are small mammals found living in arid areas of Europe and Western China including deserts, semideserts and grasslands. They feed on rodents, lizards, frogs, birds, and insects amongst other small creatures, in addition to grasses and fruits. They are small, solitary animals with a black and white face, and yellow body with brown spots. Their excellent sense of hearing makes up for their poor eyesight, their short limbs help them to move quickly, and their sharp teeth and claws help them to source food.

Interesting Facts about Desert Animals for Kids:- Khulan Adaptations (Mongolian Wild Ass):
The Mongolian Khulan is found living in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and Northern China. Also known as Mongolian Wild Ass, these animals are well suited to the cold desert environment of the Gobi as their herbivorous diet consists mainly of grasses, herbs and plants. During the summer months when the land is drier, they dig at river beds in order to source water. The Mongolian Khulan is important to other desert animals, and even humans, as they too, are able to obtain water from the holes that they leave in the ground.

Interesting Facts about Desert Animals for Kids:- Wolf Adaptations:
There are various species of wolf found living across areas of the world including America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Wolves are excellent predators and maintain their position at the top of the food chain. As wild carnivores, they are pack animals who hunt throughout areas which they establish as their territory. Wolves will attack and kill small to medium sized animals ranging from rodents to gazelles, deer, and moose. They are fast and powerful animals which dominate the food chain, their excellent sense of smell and hearing, strong jaws and sharp teeth allow them to hunt and kill their prey. Their thick fur, large feet with strong pads, and their muscular but slender bodies allow these animals to move quickly and adapt to cold temperatures. The thickness of their fur and the size of their body is dependent on their species, location and climate conditions.

Interesting Facts about the Desert Animals for Kids:- Desert Spider Facts:
There are many types of spiders living in the deserts including Tarantulas, Brown Recluses, Black Widows and Wolf Spiders. Arachnids have four pairs of legs, and fang-like mouthparts which help them kill their prey, many are able to inject their prey with venom. Archnids have pedipalps behind their mouthparts which enable them to move their prey. Despite their scary appearance, most spiders do not impose real danger to humans. The most dangerous desert spiders are generally Brown Recluses and Black Widows. Another type of spider commonly found in desert regions is the Camel Spider. It is in fact a solifugae, not a spider. This creature is commonly found in the Middle East, it tends to avoid sunlight and often seeks shade during the day, appearing again at night when they hunt for food in the form of insects, lizards and scorpions.

Interesting Facts about the Desert Animals for Kids:- Desert Scorpion Facts:
Scorpions are one of the most feared creatures of the desert as many are venomous and therefore, potentially dangerous to humans. They live in arid regions across the world and their deadly bites can result in varying side effects including fever, convulsion, rapid heart rate, coma and sometimes even death! There are many types of scorpions found in the desert including the Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion which lives in North America, the Leiurus Quinquestriatus  Scorpion found living in North Africa. This particular scorpion is also known as the Yellow Scorpion or Death Stalker.

Interesting Facts about the Desert Animals for Kids:- Desert Lizard Adaptations:
Many species of lizards are living in our world's deserts including iguana, Chuckwalla lizard, Sonoran Collard lizard, Spiny lizard, Leopard Lizard, and a venomous lizard known as the Gila Monster. Some lizards, such as iguanas, are able to withstand very high temperatures, others will seek shade under rocks during the day to avoid intense heat. These particular reptiles have very thick skin which protects them from drying out. Lizards are nocturnal animals so they hunt for food at night. As a form of defense against predators, many types of lizards will lose their tail, allowing them to escape quickly. Many are able to survive the loss of their tail as it will regenerate (regrow) following an attack by a predator.

Interesting Facts about the Desert Animals for Kids:- Desert Rattlesnakes Facts:
Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes commonly found throughout deserts across America, example of such species include: Great Basin Rattlesnake, Southern Pacific Rattlesnake, Mojave Rattlesnake, Night Snake, Western Diamondback, Sidewinder, Prairie Rattlesnake, Arizona Coral Snake. Rattlesnakes can deter some predators by making a loud noise by shaking the 'rattle' at the end of their tails. Their diet consists of birds, rodents and other small animals.

Interesting Facts about the Desert Animals for Kids:- Desert Horned Viper Facts:
The Desert Horned Viper is found in the Sahara Desert of North Africa and is officially known by the name of Cerastes Cerastes. It's name derives from its supraoculars which are large scales located above their eyes and look like horns. They grow up to 85cm long and are typically found living in dry, sandy areas where they can move around by sidewinding.  These particular reptiles are light in color which makes them difficult to see when they lie, submerged in sand awaiting their prey; usually birds, rodents and various small animals.

Interesting Facts about the Desert Animals for Kids:- Desert Birds Adaptations:
There are lots of species of bird living in the desert, or passing through during migration, including birds of prey such as hawks, eagles, owls and falcons, and large birds such as roadrunners, herons, vultures and ravens. Birds which are typically found living in the Sahara Desert include Secretary Birds, Arabian Bustards, Denham's Bustards, Nubian Bustards, Abdim's Stork, African Collared Dove, African Spoonbill and African Swallow-tailed Kites. Depending on their specie, birds have various characteristics which allow them to adapt to life in desert climates. Such characteristics may include large wingspans which give them speed and power, sharp claws which help them to capture their prey, and the ability to make noise in order to frighten away predators. Some birds, such as roadrunners, have strong, long feet which allow them to chase their prey very quickly.

Interesting Facts about the Desert Animals for Kids:- Desert Ostrich Adaptations:
The ostrich is a large flightless bird that is native to Africa and commonly found in the Sahara Desert. This animal adapts well to the desert as it has many important characteristics that helps it survive threats from potential predators, hot temperatures and extreme climate conditions. Ostriches have long, powerful legs and only two toes which allow them to run at high speed in order to escape predators, they have good balance due to their large wings, and large eyes which help them to see long distance, there are no feathers on their legs which mean they are able to withstand hot and cold temperatures. When it is cold, they are able to cover bare skin with their wings and when it is hot, they can leave these areas of skin uncovered.

Interesting Facts about the Desert Animals for Kids:- Desert Rodent Facts:
There are lots of rodents in desert biomes and they provide a very important part of the food chain as many animals and birds rely on them for survival. Some of the most common types of rodents living in the desert include rats, mice, gerbils, jerboas, squirrels and hares. Rodents typically eat seeds, plant roots and insects.

Interesting Facts about the Desert Animals for Kids:- Jerboa Facts:
Jerboas are also known as kangaroo rats or mice as they look like small kangaroos. They are the smallest rodents of Asia's Gobi Desert and Africa's Sahara Desert and have many characteristics which help them escape their predators. Jerboas can jump 3 meters with their powerful hind legs, they have excellent hearing which helps them avoid potential dangers. Like many rodents, the jerboa feeds off seeds, insects and roots.

Interesting Facts about the Desert Animals for Kids:- Desert Fox Adaptations:
The Fennec Fox is a small, cute looking animal that lives in the Sahara Desert of North Africa. Amongst its adaptations to desert life, are its large ears which helps the animal to lose heat and therefore, withstand high temperatures. The Fennec Fox lives in packs unlike other fox species, it also has good hearing and creates its habitat in the sand where it hides in its den in order to avoid predators. These animals have light colored fur which deflects heat during high daytime temperatures.

Interesting Facts about Desert Animals for Kids