animals in the sahara desert

70 mammalian species, 90 species of birds, 100 species of reptiles, and several species of spiders, scorpions, and other smaller forms of life, call the Sahara Desert their home. It stretches across much of Northern Africa, covering about 31% of the African landmass. Plant life. Some of the major animals that are found in the Sahara Desert include desert foxes, addax antelopes, gazelles, Saharan cheetah, African wild dog, hyrax, deathstalker scorpion . One of the least studied species of fox, the pale foxs habitat stretches from Senegal to Sudan. Some of the planet's subtropical deserts include the Kalahari, the Tanami, and the Sahara, which is the largest hot desert in the world. The thorny devil is a small lizard found in dry regions throughout most of central and west Australia. So, lets see each of these animals that inhabit Sahara Desert along with their unique characteristics. Around 350 live in the Great Gobi A Strictly Protected Area in Mongolia. Desert kangaroo rats live in areas with loose sand, often dune terrain. (10 cm) long and 2 in. This small toad is found in deserts and other dry habitats in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. . 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. The unique sideways movement of the sidewinder helps it to traverse the sands quickly and effectively. Desert Biome Locations, Animals & Plants | What is Desert Biome Climate? These gazelles feed on leaves, fruits, grasses, and shoots of desert plants. When we speak of What animals live in the Sahara Desert? we hardly think of crocodiles. The tail of the Scorpio is full of venom. A sting from this fearsome arachnid is extremely painful and potentially fatal. Can plants and animals survive in the Sahara Desert? Only around 950 wild Bactrian camels remain in the wild. Helpful for my project! Dorcas gazelles are mainly found in Sahara Desert and some regions in North Africa. It is one of the most commonly encountered lizards in the deserts in this region. Their color ranges from ocher, reddish-brown or pale. This large, pale pink bird is found in shallow lakes, lagoons and estuaries in Africa, Asia and Europe. The most iconic inhabitants of the desert are the camel, who can survive in dry conditions by eating the . The deathstalker scorpion (Leiurus quinquestriatus) is the most poisonous scorpion species in the world. Jack Rabbits can be hunted down in the Sahara Desert. It is characterized by its long, twisted horns and pale coat color which also lends it the name of white antelope. The dromedary has many adaptations for living in the desert. . The tarantula hawks sting scores pain level 4 the highest score on the Schmidt sting pain index, a scale for rating insect stings. Nom nom! A to Z list of desert animals with pictures and facts about each species. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The horned viper is particularly well known in the Sahara. Fennec foxes are mostly found in North Africa and in the sandy areas of the Sahara Desert. These include a sandy colored coat that provides camouflage, and a burrowing lifestyle. They live in underground holes. The desert hosts the highly feared deathstalker scorpion, the extremely venomous sand viper, the elegant and fierce cheetah and other equally magnificent species. The various snails that inhabit the desert are an important source of food for birds and animals. Though boasting an extremely low primary productivity, the Sahara does manage to support some life. It has a bald, pink / red head and a powerful bill, which is almost 4 in. The ends of its horns curve inwards. The species is also known as both the white antelope and the screwhorn antelope due to its pale coat and long, spiral horns. Wadi Al-Hitan ("Whale Valley") is a paleontological site in the Al Fayyum Governorate of Egypt around 150 kilometers (93.2 mi) southwest of Cairo. They love to bury themselves in the sand in order to hide from their enemies and prey. The highest point in the desert is the 11,204-foot (3,415-metre) summit of Mount Koussi in the Tibesti Mountains in Chad. Thus, it is the largest hot desert in the world. The harsh conditions imposed by the desert climate force desert inhabitants to adapt. Comparable to other species of predatory mammals, the Saharan cheetah is an obligate carnivore. The sand cat is a rarely-seen desert cat found in northern Africa and the Middle East. Various hypotheses have been advanced to explain the phenomenon, such as those based upon the piezoelectric property of crystalline quartz, but the mystery remains unsolved. These gazelles possess a pale coat color that reflects sunlight and enlarged hooves that allow them to walk smoothly in the desert sand. These adorable little rodents have very long legs and can jump very high. Home Animal A-Z 6 Unique Animals in Sahara Desert You Never Know. The dorcas gazelle is well-adapted to life in the desert. The presence of a pair of supraocular "horns" helps to easily distinguish this viper species from others. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). As its name suggests, the Mojave Desert tortoise is found in North Americas Mojave Desert. 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 . A 2020 study, whose results were published in 2021, found the species to be Critically Endangered. Its venom is among the most powerful of all scorpions. 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. The animals in the list below all live in hot deserts such as the Sahara Desert and Kalahari Desert in Africa, the Sonoran Desert and Mojave Desert in North America, the Great Victoria Desert in Australia, and the Arabian Desert in the Middle East. Their mouth have some special parts that they use to get nutrients from the droppings of the other animals. Gila Monster Fennec foxes dwell in the sandy Sahara and . Filling nearly all of northern Africa, it measures approximately 3,000 miles (4,800 km) from east to west and between 800 and 1,200 miles from north to south and has a total area of some 3,320,000 square miles (8,600,000 square km); the actual area varies as the desert expands and contracts over time. It feeds on birds, insects, and rodents. Death Stalker Scorpion. ), addax (a white antelope which can live without drinking water for a year and it is the largest indigenous mammal of Sahara), gazelle (rhim gazelle or dorcas gazelle), cheetah, sand vipers, monitor lizards, red-necked ostrich, hyrax and African wild dog, deathstalker . New study finds world's largest desert, the Sahara, has grown by 10 percent since 1920 | NSF - National Science Foundation National Geographic Society. A long tail helps the jerboa to keep its balance when hopping or standing upright. Join the thousands of Active Wild subscribers who receive free wildlife and science news & info direct to their inboxes! The Dorcas gazelles are considered as one of the smallest animals in the world. Dromedary Camels are considered semi-domestic and are found in the Sahara Desert. They mainly hunt at night. Although roadrunners can fly, they only do so as a last resort when evading predators they spend most of the time on the ground, and are excellent runners. The deathstalker is one desert animal you probably dont want to encounter. With respect to the climate of the Sahara desert, it is dry with a great daily temperature range: during the day the maximum temperatures can reach . Both these adaptations help them survive the extreme heat of the desert. These Sahara Desert animals have adapted well to their environment and their bodies are well-equipped to survive in the cruelty of nature. The highest point in the Sahara Desert is the volcano Emi Koussi in Chad. People have lived in the Sahara long before recorded history, at certain times in regions that are now too arid for human inhabitance. These hoofed mammals are a common sight in many desert regions, where they were domesticated around 4,000 years ago. Camel spiders are arachnids in the order Solifugae. Mulgaras are rat-sized marsupials found in desert regions of central Australia. Keep on reading my other blogs to find out about endangered animals as well as extinct animals in the Sahara . This rat is very large and is a carnivore. The monitor lizard is an extremely venomous reptile in the Sahara desert. However, they wont eat any animals droppings. Some examples of desert animals include snakes, lizards, scorpions, camels, foxes, big cats, and antelopes. Then, as continued rainfall occurred from 10,500 years till 7000 years ago, the Sahara desert became inhabited by animals and humans. A unique animal, the Saharan Silver Ant (Cataglyphis bombycina), remains active for only 10 minutes a day. 5. (41 cm). However, it is interesting to know that there 70 species of mammals, [] Disclaimer | The dromedary is able to go long periods of time without drinking. The fennec fox is known for its distinctive long ears, which are up to 15 cm (almost 6 in.) They conserve energy by periodically entering torpor a state of reduced activity that resembles a mini-hibernation. Its body and limbs are covered in rows of spines. Dung beetles, the kind of beetles that love to do work that humans hate. 7 Legged Whales. ~ The soil of the Sahara Desert is home to a drought-resistant herb called thyme (Genus: Thymus). Deserts are home to some of the most interesting animals in the world. 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. Their bodies and behavior are adapted well to the physical conditions of the desert. Sahara desert animals include many species of fox (pale fox, fennec fox etc. The discovery of 7-million-year-old dune deposits throughout northern Chad in 2006, however, suggests that the . Horned vipers can be found in the Sahara Desert, especially where the climate is semi-arid. Its base color is grey / light brown, with darker lines running along its back, and dark rings on its tail. Filling nearly all of northern Africa, it measures approximately 3,000 miles (4,800 km) from east to west and between 800 and 1,200 miles from north to south and has a total area of some 3,320,000 square miles (8,600,000 square km); the actual area varies as the desert expands and contracts over time. The camel is one of the most iconic animals of the Sahara, though its ancestors originated in . The Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the world. Frogs, toads, and crocodiles live in the lakes and pools of the Sahara. 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 . They are about 5 feet long and their body weight is about 80 pounds. The desert is a barren place where both animals and plants make a tough go at life. It feeds mainly on smaller insects and mammals that it can find. Camels are used for transport, food and clothing. 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. The Sahara desert is a hot place all year, but July and August are by far the hottest months. They are able to run up to 40 miles an hour, almost as fast as the gazelles. With very little water, and therefore very little food (plants cant grow without water) not to mention those extreme temperatures, life in the desert isnt easy. You can also see the average low and high temperatures. It's located across northern Africa, and temperatures can reach up to 134 . One of the best known species of tarantula hawk wasp is Pepsis grossa. The greater flamingo is the largest of the six species of flamingo, and one of only two found outside of the Americas. Its wingspan can reach 8.5 ft. (2.6 m). The Dragon Tree produces fruit. Deserts Of The World With Facts & Pictures, Click here to get your free desert animals question sheet, Rainforest Animals List with Pictures & Facts, Arctic Animals List with Pictures & Facts, Antarctic Animals List with Pictures & Facts, Australian Animals List with Pictures & Facts, African Animals List with Pictures & Facts, Animals: The Ultimate Guide to the Animal Kingdom, Mesozoic Era Animals List: Amazing Animals That Lived In The Mesozoic Era, Beetle Facts: What Is A Beetle? This species can be sighted in many countries of sub-Saharan Africa. The Sahara sits atop the African Shield, which is composed of heavily folded and denuded Precambrian rocks. In fact, it could be said that there is no finer example of the richness of evolution than a desert ecology. The wild Bactrian camel is a critically endangered desert animal. Each year, many thousands of greater flamingos visit the Makgadikgadi Pan of north eastern Botswana in order to breed. The fat can be burned for energy when the camel is unable to locate any food. These cheetahs are more active at night so that they can avoid the extreme heat of the desert sun as well as to conserve water. Saharan vegetation is generally sparse, with scattered concentrations of grasses, shrubs, and trees in the highlands, in oasis depressions, and along the wadis. The Sahara includes at least part of 10 countriesMorocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, and Sudanplus the territory of Western Sahara. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com The sidewinder is also known as the horned rattlesnake due to the horn-like scales that project out from above its eyes. It is a living tin-opener, making carrion accessible for smaller vultures and other scavengers who cant break through the tough hides. In the Green Sahara period there were millions more people living across the region and untold animal diversity. The African silverbill is a sociable bird that perch atop trees in large flocks often huddled close together for long periods of time. . This desert insects water collecting abilities havent gone unnoticed; inventors are working on materials and products that utilize similar methods to collect water from the air! This can occur in semi-arid regions beside deserts, such as the Sahel to the south of the Sahara desert. It lives underground in tunnels, where it hunts earthworms and other invertebrates. They are extremely intelligent and can even count. These Australian desert animals rarely drink, and their kidneys are specially adapted to preserve water. What is the climate of the Sahara Desert? Both the camels and the goats were at one time found in the wild, but currently, wild populations of these animals are quite rare. Dates, which are also farmed by humans, grow on these trees, providing a good source of sugar and water for desert animals. 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. 4. Native to the Sahara desert in Africa, the fennec fox is a small fox species with large ears and a slender body. The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world. There are different kinds of gazelles in the Sahara Desert that can be hunted for meat. Deserts cover more than one-fifth of the Earth's land area, and they are found on every continent. The crest-tailed mulgara has a crest-like ridge of longer hairs on its tail. This large lizard (generally; some can be quite small) is venomous and can become quite aggressive when threatened, especially during colder seasons. Not all deserts are hot. Death Stalker Scorpion (Art/Flickr) 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. Here are some amazingly adaptive Sahara desert animals. Among the mammal species still found in the Sahara are the gerbil, jerboa, Cape hare, and desert hedgehog; Barbary sheep and scimitar-horned oryx; dorcas gazelle, dama deer, and Nubian wild ass; anubis baboon; spotted hyena, common jackal, and sand fox; and Libyan striped weasel and slender mongoose. The fennec fox is a mammal found in North Africa and the Middle East. They are found in deserts and other arid habitats in Northern Africa, Asia and Australia. They feed on antelopes like the addax and the gazelles. Although a popular pet in many parts of the world, the wild population of golden hamsters is decreasing, and the species conservation status is Vulnerable. 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