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The Sahara Desert or Sahara is the largest desert in the world and covers most of North Africa. Its surface is so large that it resembles the surface of countries such as China or the United States. 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 54 ° C and are preceded by frosts at night. In addition, winds are frequent in the north-east direction that usually cause strong sand storms and even tornadoes. Precipitation is rare, but when it does occur, it happens in torrential fashion. All these characteristics make the climate of the Sahara extreme and make life in the desert difficult. However, there are adaptations of desert animals that make their life in the Sahara possible, among these adaptations we can mention: loss of sweat glands, highly concentrated urine, fur as a thermal insulator, resistance to dehydration, nocturnal habits and many more. Now, how the desert animals living in such an extreme habitat are related is simple, through trophic chains as in all ecosystems. Each one of them constitutes an indispensable link within the trophic chains.
As a result of what has been mentioned so far, you may wonder then, what animals live in the desert and what do they eat? In this Green Ecologist article, we will answer this question and more, as we will show you 10 species of animals of the Sahara desert.
Fennec or desert fox
The fennec or desert foxVulpes zerda) It is one of the three species of foxes that are part of the Sahara desert fauna. It is one of the smaller foxes that exist, of nocturnal and carnivorous habits. Its characteristic ears make life in the desert easier, since they function as a ventilation and cooling system for blood that allows it to withstand the extreme temperatures of the desert, as well as making it easier to find food over long distances and even prey buried in the sand.
Yellow scorpion
The yellow scorpion, scientifically known as Leiurus quinquestriatus, lives in the Sahara and is one of the species of most poisonous scorpions that exist. Its venom is a cocktail of neurotoxic substances that can be lethal for many of its small prey, but also for larger animals and even people.
Dorcas gazelle
The common gazelle or dorcasGazella dorcas) It is a herbivorous species that feeds on the plants of the Sahara desert. They are very adapted to life in the savannas of Africa and in this desert: they can go long periods of time without drinking water directly since they obtain the necessary water from the plants they consume. For this reason, although they enter the Sahara, they do not usually go very far from vegetated areas.
Sahara cheetah
The Sahara cheetah or Northwest African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki), is a subspecies of the cheetah or cheetah and is another of the most representative species of the Sahara desert. Unfortunately, it is currently critically endangered. Only 250 Sahara cheetahs remain in the wild, and their greatest threat is illegal hunting and trafficking.
Desert horned viper
The desert horned viperCerastes cerastes), also called sand viper, It is a species of viper easy to recognize by the presence of horns on its eyelids. However, its mimetic colors with respect to the desert sand allow it to be successfully camouflaged, therefore it is difficult to observe. As for its habits, it presents a curious hunting strategy: it moves the tip of its tail like a worm to attract certain prey, such as birds.
Red necked ostrich
This species of ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus) It's also called sahara ostrich. It differs from other species of ostriches by having a robust body, better withstanding the lack of water, being fast and presenting reddish-pink legs and neck. Like all ostriches, this species has a herbivorous diet.
Arabian camel or dromedary
There are several species of camelids, but the dromedary or carabic amello (Camelus dromedarius) is a native species of the Sahara desert. It is characterized by having a single hump and presenting long and thin eyelashes that keep your eyes safe from the sand, knees and ankles with calluses that protect them from the strong temperatures of the sand and are also highly resistant to dehydration.
Here you can learn about the Difference between camel and dromedary.
Addax
This species of antelope (Addax nasomaculatus) this adapted to the scarce availability of desert water and it feeds on sparse or scattered vegetation. They are gregarious animals and remain active during dawn and also at dusk, when the extreme temperatures of the desert drop.
Desert monitor
The desert monitorVaranus griseus) It is a carnivorous reptile that feeds on both vertebrate and invertebrate species. Being a cold-blooded animal, it must expose to the sun to increase your body temperature. However, monitor lizards hide in their burrows at midday to protect themselves from the extreme temperatures of the desert.
Gerbil of Egypt
We finished talking about sahara animals mentioning the gerbil from egypt, also called pyramid mouseJaculus jaculus). It is a small rodent with nocturnal habits. It is a basically herbivorous species, but it can sometimes eat bird eggs. Its physical appearance is very peculiar, it has very large eyes, which allow it to see perfectly at night, and ears that serve as a thermoregulatory system and give it excellent hearing.
To learn more about What animals live in deserts, beyond the well-known Sahara, we recommend reading this other post by Green Ecologist. You may also be interested in learning about the biotic and abiotic factors of the desert by reading this other article.
If you want to read more articles similar to Sahara desert animals, we recommend that you enter our Wild Animals category.
