Life in the Desert for Animals That Can Live Without Water
Deserts are dry places. They have very little water. It’s hot in the sun during the day. The nights are cold. Animals need water to live. But water is scarce in the desert.
So how do animals survive. They have special ways. These ways are called adaptations. Science Q&A Why evolution couldn’t (or at least didn’t so far) help this animal live without water Adaptations come in all shapes and sizes. Animals change their behavior.
Animals change their bodies. Animals change what they eat. All these changes help them. In this post, we will cover these adaptations. We will discuss a lot of desert animals. We will see how they live. We will learn their secrets. You will know desert life by the time you’re through.
Behavioral Adaptations
What animals do are their behavioral adaptations. They alter their behavior to conserve water. One behavior that is key to their success is being nocturnal. Nocturnal means active at night. The sun in the desert is scorching during daytime! Heat makes animals lose water. So they hide during the day. They come out at night. Night time is cooler. They can hunt, and eat too, without losing much water.
Many desert animals are nocturnal. Bats come out at night. They fly and eat insects. Kit foxes hunt at night. They wait for prey in the dark. Scorpions hunt at night. They sense vibrations to locate food. Some snakes are nocturnal too. They slither across the chilly sand.
Another behavior is burrowing. Burrows are depressions in the soil. Animals dig burrows. The burrows are cooler than the surface. Burrows have more moisture. Animals remain in burrows by day. They come out at night. The kangaroo rat is a great example. It digs deep burrows. Its burrow has many rooms. It stores seeds there. It stays there all day. It emerges after dark to gather more seeds.
Some animals seek shade. They hide under rocks. They hide under plants. Lizards often do this. They sunbathe to heat themselves. But they hide when it is too hot. They find a shady spot. They remain there as it cools.
Animals also reduce activity. They move slowly. They avoid running around. Running makes them hot. Heat makes them lose water. So they rest during the day. They only engage when they need to effectively.
Some animals migrate. They go where the water is. If the desert gets rain, plants will grow. Animals move to these areas. They eat the fresh plants. They drink from temporary pools. As the water dries up, they move again. This is common for birds. After showers many birds fly to deserts. Then they take off when it dries.
Another behavior is drinking quickly. Animals, when they find water, drink copiously. Camels can down many gallons in one swallow. They keep a lot of water in their systems. Then they use it slowly. This enables them to endure long periods without water.
Some animals estivate. Estivation is the sleep of dry seasons. The desert snail estivates. It seals itself in its shell. It waits for rain. When rain comes it wakes up. It drinks water. It becomes active again.
Some animals are crepuscular. Crepuscular is an action occurring at dawn and dusk. It is cooler then. Many rodents are crepuscular. They feed at dawn and dusk. It’s a way for them to stay out of the heat.”
Animals use social behavior too. Meerkats live in groups. They cycle through the lookout. They share burrows. Burrows are cooler. They cooperate to search for food. This helps them survive.
Physiological Adaptations
Physiological adaptations have to do with what the body does. The bodies of animals are designed to conserve water. One key part is the kidneys. Kidneys filter blood. They make urine. Urine has waste and water. Many desert animals have kidneys that conserve water. They make very strong urine. Their urine has little water. It is concentrated. This means they lose less water when peeing.
The kangaroo rat has the greatest kidneys. Its urine is like syrup. It has very high concentration. This rat never drinks water. It gets water from seeds. Its kidneys save every drop.
Another adaptation is in breathing. When animals exhale, they lose water vapor. But desert animals have their ways of combating it. Other animais have long, narrow nasal passages. These passages cool the air. Cold air, means condensation of water. It gets absorbed back into the body. Camels have long noses. Their noses do this. So they don’t lose as much water while breathing.
High body temperature can be tolerated in certain animals. They let their body get hot. This is called adaptive heterothermy. For instance the camel makes do with temperatures higher than its body during the day. It can reach as high as 104 degrees. Then at night it cools down. It cannot sweat to cool down. Sweating uses water. It omits the sweating, and saves water. Other animals do this too. Most birds, they’ve found, just let their temperature go up. This helps them save water.
Desert animals also minimize water loss via skin. Mammals have sweat glands. Sweat lowers the body temperature, but it also wastes water. Desert animals sweat less. They have fur that insulates. Fur keeps heat out. So they do not need to sweat. Camels have thick fur. This fur helps them stay cool during the day and warm at night.
Reptiles do not sweat. They have dry scales. Scales prevent water loss. So reptiles are adapted to be in the deserts. They get water from food. Their skin is not a path for water to evaporate.
Some animals are hardy enough to get away with shedding a lot of water. Camels, in particular, can lose a quarter of their own body’s water. If they lost 15 percent, humans would die. Camels can do this because they have oval-shaped blood cells. Oval blood cells can flow even in a viscous fluid. This helps camels survive dehydration.
Another ruse is making water inside the body. This is called metabolic water. Water is generated as food is broken down. Dry food-eating animals get water in this manner. Kangaroo rats eat seeds. Seeds are dry. But a rat eating seeds gets water. That is enough water for a rat. It never drinks.
Birds have salt glands. These glands remove excess salt. Salt removal uses water. Desert birds however, have efficient glands. They even desaliniZE minimally with water loss. The roadrunner has such glands. It eats salty prey. It sucks out salt without losing too much water.
There are some animals that can decelerate their heart rate. This reduces energy use. Less energy requires less water. The desert tortoise can lower its heartbeat. It does this while down in its burrow. It saves water.
Dietary Adaptations
Food is a source of water. Desert animals consume plants or meat that contain water. Many plants store water. Cacti are full of water. Animals eat cacti. The cactus pads are eaten by the desert tortoise. It gets water from them. It also consumes flowers and grasses. When rain comes plants grow. Tortoises eat these plants. They carry water within themselves.
Some animals eat insects. Insects have body fluids. These fluids give water. The fennec fox eats insects. It also feeds on small birds and rodents. It draws water out of their blood and tissues. So it does not have to drink that frequently.
Birds eat seeds. Seeds have little water. But some birds can generate metabolic water. The sandgrouse eats dry seeds. It gets water from them. It also flies to water holes. It drinks water there. And then returns with water for its chicks. It has special feathers. The feathers soak up water. The chicks would peck the feathers.
Herbivores eat plants. They choose plants with moisture. The addax antelope consumes grasses and leaves. It locates plants that contain water. It can survive without drinking for long periods of time. It gets water from food.
Carnivores eat other animals. They get water from prey. The coyote consumes rabbits and rodents. It gets water from them. So it can exist without drinking water. It will always drink when there is water. But it doesn’t require that all the time.
Some animals eat fruits. Fruits have water. When wild fruits come on desert plants animals feast. Birds eat these fruits. They get water and nutrients. Bats eat fruits too. They help spread seeds.
Another approach, which would be big for me to include, is late-night eating. Plants release water at night. There are some animals that consume plants during the night. They get more moisture. This is another way to obtain water.
Some animals store food. The kangaroo rat caches seeds in its burrow. During times of drought it eats these seeds. The energy and water of the seeds. This helps the rat survive.
Some animals are omnivores. So they eat plants and other animals. That gives them more choices for water. The coyote is an omnivore. It consumes fruits vegetables and meat. It takes water from all of those sources.
Morphological Adaptations
Morphological adaptations have to do with body form and function. Desert animals have adapted in such a way that helps them conserve water. Camels have humps. Humps store fat. Fat is able to be transformed into energy and water. Thus, when no food or water is available the camel has something to use. The hump gets smaller as the fat is depleted. This provides water and energy for the camel.
Camels also have thick lips. They can eat thorny plants. No other animals can eat these plants. Camels can. And so there are a lot of people who have food choices. They also have long eyelashes. These shield their eyes from sand. They have nostrils that close. This keeps storm surge at bay.
Most animals that live in deserts are light coloured. Light colors reflect sunlight. Dark colors absorb heat. And light fur or skin helps keep animals cool. The fennec fox has pale fur. It reflects the sun. It also has big ears. The blood vessels are near the skin of big ears. Heat escapes through the ears. This helps cool the fox.
The Sahara silver ant has a coat of shiny silver. This coat reflects heat. It keeps the ant cool. The ant can run on hot sand. It does this for short times. Then it returns to its nest.
Reptiles have scales. Scales prevent water loss. Snakes have smooth scales. They slide over sand. They don’t get dehydrated through their skin. Lizards have scales too. Some lizards have fringe on their feet. These fringes allow them to get around in sand. They do not sink.
Birds have adaptations too. The roadrunner has long legs. It runs fast. It preys on animals such as snakes and lizards. It gets water from prey. It also has salt-excreting glands. This helps it save water.
The thorny devil lizard is covered in spikes. The spikes collect water. Fog condenses on the spikes. Water droplets form. The drops travel down to a lizard’s mouth. Well, so the lizard drinks through its skin. That’s one smart way to get water.
Some animals have large bodies. The larger the size of a body, the lesser water it loses per unit weight. This is because they have less surface area per unit of density. That’s why very large animals like camels lose water only slowly. Small animals lose water faster. But small creatures can hide in burrows. They avoid heat.
Some animals do not even have sweat glands. Reptiles and birds sweat not. They can only lose water when they are breathing and when the waste goes out. This helps them save water.
Fur and feathers insulate. They keep heat out. They also retain moisture: Desert animals often have thick fur or feathers. This helps them retain water.
Examples of Desert Animals
Many animals live in deserts. Here are some examples.
The camel is famous. There are two types. Dromedary camels have one hump. Bactrian camels have two humps. That is, both can live for weeks without water. They drink 30 gallons at a time. They hold water in their blood and body tissues. Oval Red Cells Their red blood cells are oval. This helps them when dehydrated. They can withstand high temperatures. They are employed by people to assist in desert travel.
Kangaroo Rat The kangaroo rat is a tiny animal. It lives in North America. It has long hind legs. It hops like a kangaroo. It has ‘pockets’ in its cheek to carry seeds. It eats seeds. It gets water from seeds. It never drinks water. Its kidneys are very efficient. It produces dry feces. It loses very little water. During the day it remains in burrows. Its burrow is humid. It saves water there.
The fennec fox is the tiniest of all canids. It’s a resident of the Sahara Desert. It has huge ears. These ears enable it to hear prey underground. They also help release heat. It has thick fur on its feet. This provides it with insulation from the hot sand. It feeds on small animals and insects as well as plants. It gets water from food. It is capable of long periods in which it can remain unwashed.
The desert tortoise inhabits the deserts of North America. It digs burrows. It rests in burrows during the heat of the day. It’s capable of going months without water. It feeds on plants that contain water. It holds water in its belly. It can re-ingest water from its urine. This helps it survive.
The addax is a desert antelope. It lives in the Sahara. It has wide hooves. These hooves are what allow it to walk comfortably on sand. It eats grasses and leaves. It gets water from plants. It is able to live for weeks without drinking. It is threatened by hunting.
The sandgrouse is a bird. It resides in deserts throughout Africa and Asia. It eats seeds. It flies to water holes in the morning. It drinks water. Then it flies to its nest. Its feathers have special structures. They soak up water. The chicks lap at the wet feathers.
The scorpion is an arachnid. It has a hard exoskeleton. This prevents water loss. It hunts at night. It feeds on insects and other small animals. It gets water from prey. It can last for months without water.
The jerboa is a small rodent. It looks like a kangaroo rat. It has long legs for jumping. It lives in Asian deserts. It shelters in burrows during the day. It eats seeds and insects. It gets water from food.
The elf owl is a small owl. It is found in desert of North America. It nests in cactus holes. It feeds on insects and small animals. It gets water from prey. It is active at night.
The Gila monster is a lizard that is poisonous. Its residence is the United States. It stores fat in its tail. It draws upon this fat in dry periods. It gets water from prey. It can survive for months without water.
Mountain peaks are the habitat of desert bighorn sheep. It comes down to drink water. It can survive for days without water. It is a plant eater that eats plants with liquid in them. It has hard hooves, which helps it scramble over icy rocks.
The pale fox lives in Africa. It does have: pale fur that reflects heat. It feeds on small animals and plants. It gets water from food. It digs burrows to stay cool.
The desert hedgehog is found in Africa and Asia. It is nocturnal. It feeds on insects and small animals. It gets water from prey. It curls into a ball to defend its back.
The sand cat is a wild cat of small size. It has thick fur on its feet. (Plus this protects it from hot sand. It hunts at night. It eats rodents and birds. It gets water from prey.
Desert animals are incredible. They have many adaptations. These are adaptations that help them to live without water.
They change their behavior. They are active at night. They burrow underground. They seek shade. Their bodies are efficient. They conserve water in urine and breath. They get water from food. They have special body parts. All of these qualities enable them to survive in deserts.
Deserts are harsh environments. But life finds a way. Animals demonstrate the fine art of having little and making do. We can learn from them. We need to save these animals and their environments. They play crucial role in nature’s balance. Thanks for reading about desert animals.