Desert animals are species that are very interesting, since their adaptability has allowed them to survive in various places that have such extreme conditions. Due to this characteristic of adaptability, it is also important to know what desert animals eat, for these reasons we invite you to continue reading this interesting article.
What do desert animals eat?
Desert animals feed mainly on plants, insects, carcasses, and other animals. Also, smaller ones tend to thrive in the desert compared to larger ones. This is because food and water in the desert are scarce while weather conditions are quite extreme. Physical and behavioral adaptations help desert animals survive in extreme conditions. Some of the things that desert animals eat are listed below:
- Corpses: Since there is a shortage of food in the desert, many animals that live in the desert turn to garbage. This means that they can eat remains of dead animals. This is especially true of animals like vultures, coyotes, dingoes, and foxes.
- Plants: there are several species of plants that can survive in the desert. These plants have adaptive characteristics that allow them to survive by storing water in their stems or by developing long roots that allow the absorption of water from deep in the soil. Animals like camels, desert goats, pronghorn, and deer eat these plants in the desert.
- Dams: some animals eat other animals to survive in the desert. Carnivorous animals normally hunt herbivores at night. Desert predators can include rattlesnakes, gray wolves, hawks, and owls.
- Insects: animals such as the iguana, the chameleon and the gerbil feed on insects that live in the desert.
Where do they get water from?
Knowing what desert animals eat, it would be necessary to mention how they can obtain their water supply. In this way, it can be highlighted that some animals have systems that allow them to obtain water from the insects they consume. Other animals are so small that they absorb the dew at night. Instead, the larger ones use cacti and succulents. These inside store fresh water that animals can consume.
Examples of Desert Animals
The desert occupies a place in the world as one of the most exhausting terrains that exist. Although it can be a very empty place, there is no shortage of animals, they are simply better adapted to the environment. Among them we have the bunny-eared bandicoot of the deserts of Australia, which is considered an endangered species as they are preyed upon by animals and people alike. They are nocturnal, going underground during the day and feeding on ferrets at night. Insects, snails and mice, as well as fruits and underground bulbs serve as food for these small marsupials.
Another animal that belongs to this group of desert animals is the dromedary, better known as the Arabian camel, it can be found in the Middle East, Africa, as well as in India and Pakistan. Surprisingly, these humpbacked animals store fat in their humps, causing them to go 3-4 days without food or water. It should be noted that their diet includes grass, dates, oats and wheat.
Likewise, the desert iguana is primarily seen in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts of southern California. Like the first creature mentioned, this animal stays in burrows, living near some of the most outstanding plants in these places, the cactus. Although it is considered a vegetarian since its favorite food is creosote flowers, it also feeds on smaller insects, including ants and beetles.
The sidewinder snake inhabits the deserts of Africa, the Middle East, and North America. Commonly this type of reptile feeds on rodents in the area and other small creatures. On the other hand, we have the desert tortoise, which is able to adapt to extreme temperatures through its large urinary bladder. Whenever it finds water, it functions like a sponge, storing enough water to equal more than 40 percent of its body weight. The main food sources include fruits, grasses and wild flowers.
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