The word "Sahara" is the Arabic word for desert. Which Countries Does The Sahara Desert Cover? Sahara, (from Arabic ar, desert) largest desert in the world. In the central Sahara, the monotony of the plains and plateaus is broken by prominent volcanic massifsincluding Mount Uwaynat and the Tibesti and Ahaggar mountains. It feeds mainly on smaller insects and mammals that it can find. Their diet consists of herd animals such as the Dorcas gazelle or the Addax antelope. 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. The Sahara Desert is home to the Marathon des Sables 150-mile footrace. It is found in desert and other dry habitats, including savannah and grassland. Currently, the bird is classified as Least Concern because of its widespread distribution. Sadly they have been hunted to the point where there are only around 500 left. The desert monitor (Varanus griseus) is a carnivorous lizard species found in the Sahara Desert. We may also earn commissions on purchases from other retail websites. Jerboas are a group of rodents within the family Dipodidae. In fact, this is not only the largest desert in Africa but the largest warm-weather desert on Earth, about equal in size to the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska. They have long, powerful hind legs and short fore limbs. Texas A&M University. sahara desert dangerous animal #video #sahara #viral #desertthe desert, the desert class 7 the deserted village by . These medium-sized, ground-dwelling birds are seed-eaters. Fennec foxes are mostly found in North Africa and in the sandy areas of the Sahara Desert. As its name suggests, the Mojave Desert tortoise is found in North Americas Mojave Desert. This large, pale pink bird is found in shallow lakes, lagoons and estuaries in Africa, Asia and Europe. Lizards, chameleons, skinks, and cobras are found among the rocks and dunes. Home Animal A-Z 6 Unique Animals in Sahara Desert You Never Know. It is only active during the day in the coolest months of the year. ), Click here to get your free desert animals question sheet. You can also find beetles there. The horned viper is particularly well known in the Sahara. Uniquely, it is the females of this species that leaves the pack when sexually mature instead of the males. Around 2.5 million people call the Sahara Desert home. 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. All of them have a white underbelly. Here, on our list of "What Animals Live In The Sahara Desert?" They are found primarily in the central western parts of the desert. As one of the largest deserts in the World, the Sahara Desert's plant life is scarce, with just roughly 500 species surviving due to the high temperatures and dry conditions. ~ The soil of the Sahara Desert is home to a drought-resistant herb called thyme (Genus: Thymus). It lives underground in tunnels, where it hunts earthworms and other invertebrates. What is the climate of the Sahara Desert? Its fruit is similar to the size of a cherry. It has a bald, pink / red head and a powerful bill, which is almost 4 in. Test your knowledge of desert animals with this free printable question sheet! Interestingly, they can survive without drinking water for a number of days. Around 350 live in the Great Gobi A Strictly Protected Area in Mongolia. This desert is not like any other. 6. The dromedary has many adaptations for living in the desert. It began to dry up around 4000 years ago due to a gradual change in the tilt of the Earth's orbit. Fennec fox, the smallest fox in the world, is about 9.5 inches to 16 inches from the head down to the body. Also known as the Asiatic wild ass, the onager is a hoofed mammal in the horse family Equidae. Their bodies are slim and they have slender legs. Antelopes are their primary prey. The source is the statistical data collected in recent years in Merzouga-Erg Chebbi, which can be extrapolated to any area of the Sahara desert (for example, in M'Hamid-Erg Chegaga the temperature varies approximately one degree with respect to . The shallow, highly salty waters of the Makgadikgadi Pan are surrounded by the Kalahari Desert. Listed below are 50 of these animals that continuously survive living in the Sahara Desert. The foxs ears serve a dual purpose: not only do they provide extra-sensitive hearing (useful for locating prey that is underground), but they also help to keep the fox cool. A unique animal, the Saharan Silver Ant (Cataglyphis bombycina), remains active for only 10 minutes a day. The tail of the Scorpio is full of venom. An unusual phenomenon associated with desert sands is their singing or booming. 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. 5. This large lizard (generally; some can be quite small) is venomous and can become quite aggressive when threatened, especially during colder seasons. Many animals that live in the desert have special adaptations to help them survive in this inhospitable environment. This makes them some of the most versatile creatures on the planet. A team led by Egyptian scientists have dug up a 43 million-year-old fossil in the Sahara Desert in Egypt of a now-extinct amphibious four-legged whale. Because both the Arctic and Antarctica have very little rain (or snow) theyre also considered to be deserts. They are able to run up to 40 miles an hour, almost as fast as the gazelles. The dromedary is by far the most abundant camel, representing 94% of all camels. 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. Actually, it is a highly adaptive member of Canidae, the family of dogs. We hope that you have enjoyed meeting these desert animals. Photo credit: Mohammed ali Moussa. The golden hamster is a rodent found in the wild in Syria and Turkey (the animal is also known as the Syrian hamster). Sand dunes in Erg Chigaga with blue sky, Morocco. Some scientists estimate that the Sahara became arid about two to three million years ago, while others contend that it happened before this. Modern economic development has disrupted many of these traditional means of subsistence, however, with many desert dwellers seeking more lucrative opportunities in developed regions and oases. we present some of the most iconic species of the Sahara Desert. The sand cat is usually either nocturnal or crepuscular (active at dawn or dusk). The Sahara includes at least part of 10 countriesMorocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, and Sudanplus the territory of Western Sahara. Animals of the Sahara Desert. Mulgaras are rat-sized marsupials found in desert regions of central Australia. The highest point in the Sahara Desert is the volcano Emi Koussi in Chad. All Rights Reserved. The Sahara exhibits great climatic variability within its borders, with two major climatic regimes differentiating along a north-south axis: the deserts northern latitudes are arid subtropical and have two rainy seasons, while the southern ones, although also arid, are more tropical and have only one rainy season. The Mojave Desert tortoise digs its own burrows, and will hibernate underground during the winter. Kangaroo rats have made several adaptations to enable them to survive in the desert, including: getting moisture from their seed diet; living in burrows during the day to avoid extreme heat; Photo: Yathin sk [CC BY-SA 3.0]The lappet-faced vulture is a large bird of prey found in Africa and the Middle East. Disclaimer | In the Viper series, it is the deadliest. Tiny grooves in the thorny devils skin transport water directly to its mouth. 18 Helpful Components of the Practice, What Is Point Source Pollution: Identifying the Culprit, Types Of Pollution You Should Know And How To Minimize It, Your Ultimate Guide to Energy Efficient Appliances and How To Save Money, Carrier Cor Thermostat Review: Offering Remote Control, Agricultural Pollution: What It Is and Why You Should Care, The Best Compost Bin Choices for Collecting Organic Material, The 10 Best Electric Lawn Mower Options for an Eco-Friendly Cut. In the Sahara Desert, producers include grasses, shrubs, cacti and . Sandgrouses often congregate in large numbers around waterholes then disperse to forage for seeds either alone or in smaller groups. The species is currently rated Vulnerable by the IUCN (the International Union for Conservation of Nature). The lakes and pools of the Sahara also contain algae and brine shrimp and other crustaceans. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Designart 'Desert in Western Sahara' Landscape Printed Throw at the best online prices at eBay! Only about 250 mature adults of this critically endangered species survive today. They look ephemeral and fragile, but they are incredibly dangerous, capable of causing respiratory failure and death. 2019 ConservationInstitute.org. Why Is Biodiversity Critical To Life On Earth? 1. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Like this acacia tree. It can go without drinking for its entire lifetime, but when water is available, it does drink water. A long tail helps the jerboa to keep its balance when hopping or standing upright. (An order is a group of related animals.) It looks like it hardly ever rains here. in length. There are two living species of camel, the Dromedary Camel and the Bactrian Camel. When a predator approaches, the gazelles highly attuned body will automatically jump. They can travel a long ways, and can also pick up noises and see movement across vast distances, helping them spot and avoid predators. https://www.britannica.com/place/Sahara-desert-Africa, LiveScience - The Sahara: Facts, Climate and Animals of the Desert, Sahara - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Sahara - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Photo: Haytem93, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, (cropped / resized by ActiveWild.com) The addax is a critically endangered species of antelope found in the Sahara Desert. This animal can weigh up to 166 kilograms and . Saharan vegetation is generally sparse, with scattered concentrations of grasses, shrubs, and trees in the highlands, in oasis depressions, and along the wadis. Best Answer. Instead they get most of the water they require from their almost completely carnivorous diet. These foxes are active at night so that they dont have to deal with the burning heat of the sun during the day to hunt for food. Native to the Sahara desert in Africa, the fennec fox is a small fox species with large ears and a slender body. 70 mammalian species, 90 species of birds, 100 species of reptiles, and other smaller forms of life are found in the Sahara Desert. Frogs, toads, and crocodiles live in the lakes and pools of the Sahara. Other organisms, although adapted more for a Mediterranean or tropical climate than an arid one, have persisted in the Sahara mostly by sticking to its slightly more hospitable highlands and oases. They are small and doing dirty work so that the ecosystem can be kept healthy. Not only do the ears help them to hear better in the desert, but they also help them to release body heat, keeping them cool. When we speak of What animals live in the Sahara Desert? we hardly think of crocodiles. Australian aborigines used to dig the frogs up as a source of water. The monitor lizard is an extremely venomous reptile in the Sahara desert. The Sahara Desert used to be home to dinosaurs such as the Afrovenator, Jobaria, and the Ouranosauras, which have been extinct for nearly 65 million years. Not a lot of people think of ostriches when asked to name a desert animal, but ostriches are some of the fastest animals in the Sahara. They are usually solitary in nature with a semi-nomadic lifestyle. 19. Apart from the dromedary camel and goats, the desert hosts the highly feared deathstalker scorpion, the extremely venomous sand viper, the elegant and fierce cheetah, the graceful gazelles, the swift-footed red-necked ostrich and other unique and magnificent species. Deserts are regions in which very little rain falls. However, the Sahara holds much more life than that. They are able to subsist almost entirely on animal waste. Small, thickset, herbivorous mammals, the rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) is found across sub-Saharan Africa. After World War II, prospecting revealed that the Sahara was laden with oil and mineral resources, which have served as a major attractor of international investment since. The tarantula hawks sting scores pain level 4 the highest score on the Schmidt sting pain index, a scale for rating insect stings. Copy. Drought and heat tolerant types, as well as those suited to salty environments (halophytes) if adequate water is present, make . These animals are well adapted to the extreme conditions in the region. Deserts cover more than one-fifth of the Earth's land area, and they are found on every continent. 4. The Sahara Desert is usually imagined as a vast, parched, lifeless stretch of sandy landscape with scattered nomadic tribes and their domesticated camels. (Mesquite is a small tree that grows in deserts and other dry habitats.). No wonder, they are used as one of the natural methods to control flies on cattle. Unlike most desert animals, Saharan silver ants forage in the middle of the day, when the Sahara can reach temperatures of up to 158 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius). A 2020 study, whose results were published in 2021, found the species to be Critically Endangered. The species is now found in only 6 of the 18 countries where it once existed. A venomous species of snake, the viperCerastes vipera inhabits the Sahara Desert. The desert monitor feeds primarily on rodents, fish, and eggs but it might also feed on birds, small mammals, and other creatures if the opportunity arises. Other noteworthy formations include the Ennedi Plateau of Chad, the Ar Massif of Niger, the Iforas Massif of Mali, and the outcroppings of the Mauritanian Adrar region. If the gazelle is forced to run, it can achieve an astounding 49 miles per hour. Plants and Animals of the Sahara Desert. Camel spiders are also known as wind scorpions, sun spiders and solifuges. The tiny droplets build up until the water runs down the beetles back and into its mouth. A prominent feature of the plains is the dark patina of ferromanganese compounds, called desert varnish, that forms on the surfaces of weathered rocks. The Sahara desert is a hot place all year, but July and August are by far the hottest months. These adorable little rodents have very long legs and can jump very high. The deathstalker is one desert animal you probably dont want to encounter. Dorcas gazelles are mainly found in Sahara Desert and some regions in North Africa. There are over 1,000 species of camel spider. Indiscriminate hunting has wiped out large populations of this animal. For more details, and a selection of other question sheets, see this page: Free Printable Worksheets. 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. Its bite is extremely painful, but rarely life-threatening. It is also found in northern Mexico. Monitor lizards not only include desert-thriving species in the Sahara, but also species which can live in forests or even wetlands. This is known as stotting. It serves several purposes. The dromedary camel, one of the Sahara's most famous animals. 10 Golden Jackal. On this page is a list of animals that live in the desert, with pictures and facts on each species. ActiveWild.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon stores. Copyright 2023 ActiveWild.com. Some dung beetles just burrow into the dung they find and make it into a home, chewing their way out when they get hungry. It gives a light source to the Dragon Tree. Dates, which are also farmed by humans, grow on these trees, providing a good source of sugar and water for desert animals. It has been recorded that about 100 reptilian species, 90 avian species, 70 mammalian species, and a wide array of different animal species are found in the Sahara Desert. It occupies an area of 9,400,000 square km that is comparable to the size of the United States. Fennec foxes dwell in the sandy Sahara and . Each pack has two alphas: an alpha male and an alpha female. Hunting for meat and habitat loss threatens the survival of this species. 2. They use this venom for hunting the other insects and for proving more safety. All of them have a white underbelly. They are found in deserts and other arid habitats in Northern Africa, Asia and Australia. The fogstand beetle is an insect found in the Namib Desert, a coastal desert in southern Africa. The Sahara desert really is quite diverse, and as you can see, some of the most incredible species on the planet make their home there. Some jerboas can hop more than ten times their own body length! The greater flamingo is the largest of the six species of flamingo, and one of only two found outside of the Americas. Cheetahs, one of the fastest land animals in the world, can also be found in Sahara Desert. The largest desert in Africa is the Sahara. The African silverbill (Euodice cantans) is a bird that lives in arid landscapes. Thus, it is the largest hot desert in the world. It starts with the sun. The species name comes from the way in which it moves; by anchoring its tail and pushing its head forwards, then pulling its tail forwards and repeating the process, it can move at high speeds over sand. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a79f9c66946b4e15c00c7028a6a05b5e" );document.getElementById("baf99b406d").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); News and facts on animals, natural history and science. Behind its head is a decoy head; a fleshy growth with two large horns. 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! It is closely related to the Bactrian camel, a domesticated species. The age of the Sahara has been a matter of some dispute. Australia has a small feral dromedary population made up of the descendants of animals introduced to the country by humans. What is the climate of the Sahara Desert? Using its specially-adapted wing-cases, the beetle can collect minute droplets of water from the early morning fog. Although not exclusively a desert animal, the greater flamingo does visit shallow lakes and flood plains in desert regions. You can also see the average low and high temperatures. Most of the 16 members of this family are found either in deserts or other dry habitats. The deathstalker inhabits desert and scrubland habitat in North Africa and Western Asia. If found, they can be a source of meat and eggs. This can occur in semi-arid regions beside deserts, such as the Sahel to the south of the Sahara desert. They are known as Northwest African cheetahs or Saharan cheetahs. Its base color is grey / light brown, with darker lines running along its back, and dark rings on its tail. Another species of venomous viper, the Cerastes cerastes also lives in the Sahara. The species can be identified by its large size, very long, pointed ears, white / gray sides, white underparts, buff neck and chest, and black / buff back. Occasionally, they also hunt hares. Both Bactrian camels have two humps, but those of the wild Bactrian are smaller. , see this page: free printable Worksheets cobras are found either in deserts and other crustaceans 250 adults... Of other question sheets, see this page: free printable Worksheets completely carnivorous diet the average low high... 49 miles per hour by far the most abundant camel, a species. 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