We call it a desert because there are no human beings but if we broaden our gaze and mind to other living creatures, we immediately realize that the desert is not a desert at all, in fact it is very populated and also has fascinating animals to know. There are many more than 11 animals in the desert but the 11 that we present to you in our article we have considered the most representative, or the most curious. They all have characteristics that help them survive in an environment and an often extreme climate and while you imagine them, keep in mind that the desert in which they live is not necessarily the one we are used to thinking, that of the Sahara, because on earth there are many others, different in climatic and territorial conditions.
Desert Animals: Antelope
When we talk about antelope we imagine a fast and agile animal and it really is but this does not take away the fact that it can weigh up to 120 kg, for 1 meter in height. This mammal to survive the heat moves mainly at dawn and dusk and remains inactive in the central hours of the day. It has very particular horns, curled and that grow vertically, it lives in the rockiest deserts and is related to the Arabian Oryx.
Desert Animals: Vulture
It is certainly not one of the friendliest animals that frequent these areas but it is right to know of its presence. The vulture lives mainly in the South of the United States and with its black head and its aggressive and slightly hunched body, to feed itself it continuously searches for eggs or newborn animals and still unable to defend themselves from its attacks. It has a very developed vision with which it is able to locate its preys even in areas with many rocks and stones, and then it glides with its 2 Kg body, covered in mostly black feathers.
Desert Animals: Camel
It is one of the first animals that comes to mind when talking about desert animals, without a doubt. It is an artiodactyl mammal, of the Camelidae family, it is regularly confused with the dromedary but it has only one hump and frequents desert or very dry areas, located in Asia and Africa . The camel does not have horns or hooves but a phenomenal mechanism to survive even in the absence of food and water. It accumulates fat in its hump ! A good reservoir for when it has to cross areas where there is no trace of food. It is not an aggressive animal, but let’s be careful because to defend itself it spits saliva that, if it gets into the eyes, burns a lot.
Desert Animals: Road Runner
With a name like that you think of a feline and instead we are talking about a bird, a bird that lives in the coastal desert plains on the border between Mexico and the United States. The Road Runner is a bird but very particular because it does not like to fly much preferring instead to stay with its feet on the ground and limiting itself to flying only to reach trees or shrubs.
It feeds on small reptiles or even insects and to defend itself it plays the camouflage card, exploiting its dark plumage that recalls the color of the ground. The size of its tail is interesting, useful as a “rudder” when it has to make a sharp turn while running fast, very fast, almost 32 km/h.
Desert Animals: Coyote
The coyote is a carnivorous mammal whose name means “ barking dog ”. It lives mainly in Canada and the United States, in North America and there is also a subspecies that can survive well even in desert areas where vegetation and even water are scarce. In these cases we speak of “California coyote”.
Desert Animals: Dingo
The dingo , also called “wild dog” is a cross between a dog and a wolf. It lives in Australia, never barks, but howls, moves in packs and is a very territorial animal that carefully guards the area it inhabits, whether it is deserted or not. It also takes on the color of the earth and its coat is usually yellowish, or reddish or in any case sand-colored.
Desert Animals: Flamingo
It seems strange to hear about an animal like the flamingo right in the desert but it is an animal that typically lives there, not in the African one but in the Atacama one, in South America. Flamingos are sociable birds, that love to be in company and to see them it is worth going to visit the San Pedro Flamingo National Reserve, an area in the middle of the salt desert but rich in rivers and fresh water sources. Perfect for these birds that feed on shrimp and crustaceans as well as insects and build nests of compact mud to guard their eggs. The peculiarity for which flamingos are so popular is their color, but few know that it is linked to their diet, since they eat Artemia salina , a shrimp in whose shell the pigments of a particular algae that flamingos are fond of accumulate.
Desert Animals: Dorcas Gazelle
After the camel, another artiodactyl mammal, but this time belonging to the dromedary family: the Dorcas gazelle . It lives in the Sahara desert, in North Africa but is much smaller than a camel, there is no comparison, it can reach a maximum of 65 centimeters in height and 20 kilos in weight. Its appearance is particular because of its large ears and curved horns while its body is light brown and its belly is white. It is active especially at night and its ideal habitat is mountain deserts but we can also find it in the steppe or in some prairie, it adapts easily because it can resist for a long time without drinking since it obtains liquid elements from the humidity of its eyes.
Desert Animals: Guanaco
Let’s go back to camelids with the guanaco , a desert animal that has a very fragile physical structure and is covered with a double coat between reddish and sand color , perfect for camouflaging itself among the dunes and rocks of the South American desert where it feeds on small herbs and heath. It is a social mammal , it lives in large herds and is hunted both for its meat and also for its skin and wool. It is the male who must take care of defending everyone, both the young and the females, but unfortunately it is an animal that can risk extinction.
Desert Animals: Red-necked Ostrich
The red-necked ostrich is also called the “Saharan ostrich ”, so it is very clear where it lives, in the North African desert. It is one of the fastest and most muscular ostriches, and also the most resistant because it can go for days and days without drinking water. It is a species at risk of extinction and there are many specimens preserved in the Souss Massa National Park, in Morocco. We can easily recognize it because of the reddish color of both the neck and legs.
Desert Animals: American Fox
The American Fox , also called the Swift Fox , lives mainly at night and wanders around the desert until late, while during the day it takes refuge in burrows that it has dug in the sand. It is about the size of a cat, it is carnivorous and specimens that do not live in the desert and are found in urban environments are at risk of being victims of road accidents or domestic dogs.