Deserts
are among the most unfriendly environments for animal life. The scorching daylight hours do not see much activity, but a few animals like lizards move at
high speed across the burning sand hunting for insects. With nightfall, the
desert comes alive. Large spiders, centipedes and scorpions crawl out from holes
or from under stones.Many species of rats and mice are adapted to desert life. They include the grasshopper mice and kangaroo rats of American deserts and the spiny mice, gerbils and jerboas of Africa.
Survival
Since water is so scarce, most desert animals get their water from the food they eat: moist plants, seeds, or the blood and body tissues of their prey. But they must carefully conserve the little water they obtain in this way, so 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.
