What is Adaptation?

Desert 

A desert is a region of land that is very dry because it receives less rain.

Deserts are also called arid areas. 

Plants and Animals of the Desert

Deserts are biologically rich habitats with a vast variety of animals and plants that have adapted to the harsh conditions there. 

The two main adaptations that desert animals must make are how to deal with lack of water and how to deal with extreme temperature. Many desert animals avoid the heat of the desert by simply staying out of it as much as possible.

Where do animals in the desert get their water from?

Since water is so scarce, most desert animals get their water from the food they eat: succulent plants, seeds, or the blood and body tissues of their prey.

How do desert animals prevent water from leaving their bodies?

Desert animals prevent water leaving their bodies in a number of different ways. Some, like kangaroo rats and lizards, live in burrows which do not get too hot or too cold and have more humid (damp) air inside. These animals stay in their burrows during the hot days and emerge at night to feed.

Other animals have bodies designed to save water. Scorpions and wolf spiders have a thick outer covering  which reduces moisture loss. The kidneys of desert animals concentrate urine, so that they excrete less water.

Adaptation of Camel

# Camels are herbivores. They eat desert vegetation, such as grasses, herbs, and leaves.

# The long eyelashes keep sand out of the camel's eyes.

# Thick eyebrows shield the eyes from the desert sun.

# A camels nostrils can close so it doesn't get sand up its nose.

# Camels store fat in the hump, not water. The fat can be metabolised for energy.

# Camels have thick lips so they can eat the prickly desert plants with out feeling pain.

# The colour of their bodies helps them to blend into their environment.

# Camels feet are wide so they can walk on sand more easily.