Desert Animal Adaptations List
Xerocoles have a built-in mechanism which minimizes the moisture loss during excretion and evaporation.
Desert animal adaptations list. Have you ever wondered how animals can live in a hostile desert environment. One of the biggest water retention adaptations desert animals have is simply to avoid the sun and extreme heat. Thus adaptations of desert animals are actually the adjustments to protect themselves against high temperatures to live without water and to conserve water as far as possible.
However some deserts receive less than 5 cm of rain per year. Xerocoles are animals which adapt themselves to desert conditions. The Desert Adaptations of Birds Mammals.
Larger mammals such as antelopes deer and camels can also be found in cold deserts. The shape of a birds beak helps them to eat food as well as make nests. However turkeys and black vultures are dark in color and hence they absorb considerable amount of heat during the day.
Large ears for dissipating body heat. Most desert animals are pale in color which prevents their bodies from absorbing more heat in the sun. Water is used up in the cooling process and can quickly dehydrate even the most water retentive animal so most desert animals have adapted their behavior to avoid getting too hot.
They have specialized kidneys which retain water from urine so excretion occurs in uric acid form. Thus adaptations of desert animals are actually the adjustments to protect themselves against high temperatures to live without water and to conserve water as far as possible. Camels jackrabbits foxes snakes insects are some of the predominant xerocoles or desert animals.
The absence of sweat glands and the concentration of urine are other physical adaptations made by desert animals. And living in a burrow. Learn more about desert adaptations.