Page 85 - World of Animals - Issue #39

Wildlife of the Sahara Desert

Stars of the Sahara A range of unique adaptations helps these Saharan species in the fi ght for survival

Jerboa Skink Dung beetle Spiny-tailed lizard Oryx Desert hedgehog
These tiny rodents can jump These reptiles dive into the These beetles survive by These lizards gain 99 per cent Oryx have a keen sense of When faced with danger,

up to 3m (10 ) and run at sand and move through it as living in the dung of other of their water from the plants smell and can detect rain in desert hedgehogs will tense

around 26kph (16mph), if they were swimming. They animals. They create they eat and can inflate their the area. They have adapted their muscles and curl up into

hopping over the hot sand do this to prevent overheating perfectly round dung balls for bodies to wedge themselves to survive days or even a spiky ball, making it diffi cult
and away from predators. and to evade danger. ease of transport. under rocks in hiding. weeks without water. for predators to catch them.

Fennec fox
These tiny foxes have huge bat-like ears, which measure
Dromedary camel up to 15cm (6in) and are used to radiate heat and keep
Thick eyelashes and slit nostrils protect the cool. While their thick fur may seem inappropriate for
dromedary camel from sand storms. Its flat feet the desert, they are mostly nocturnal; their fur keeps

allow it to walk over the loose sand with ease, and them warm during the cold nights and reflects heat

the camel can drink up to 100 litres (22 gallons) during the day. Fennec foxes also have fur on the soles
of water in just ten minutes. Its hump is used to of their feet to protect them from the scorching sand.
store fat for when food is scarce, meaning the
camel can go up to 17 days without food or water.

Desert plants

Helmeted guineafowl
Oryx While helmeted guineafowls are able to fly,

they prefer to walk and can travel up to 10km
(6mi) a day. They spend most of their time
Spitting cobra scratching the ground with their sharp claws, Doum palm
The doum palm is o en found near oases
Spitting cobras have a deadly bite and a nasty making their nests or searching for insects and can grow up to 17m (56 ) tall, providing

defence mechanism; they are able to spit their and seeds. When faced with danger they will crucial shade for wildlife. Its red-orange,

neurotoxic venom up to 2.4m (8 ), and with great o en run away quickly and make loud harsh apple-sized fruit tastes like gingerbread.
accuracy. They will aim for the eyes of a perceived calls to warn others.
predator and can cause permanent blindness in
humans. Like other cobras, they have long cervical
ribs that expand to form a hood around their head.
Skink North
African
gerbil

Red acacia tree
This thorny tree grows in damp valleys and © Getty; Sol90; Thinkstock; Alamy
has a pale green or reddish bark. In severe
drought it will drop its feathery leaves to
conserve energy until the next rainfall.

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