Cold Desert Animals Adaptations
Cold desert animals such as lizards camels and gazelles show different adaptations to protect themselves in the cold climate.
Cold desert animals adaptations. Since the temperatures below the surface are much cooler than above it many of the small to medium-sized animals living in the desert dig burrows to spend the hot daytime hours only coming out during the night. Large ears for dissipating body heat. Animals living in cold or temperate deserts have thick exoskeletons to protect them from the cold.
Examples of physical adaptations the thickness of an animals fur helps them to survive in cold environments. Most cold desert shrubs are deciduous but some are partially deciduous meaning they lose part. The two main adaptations that desert animals must make are how to deal with lack of water and how to deal with extremes in temperature.
Hairy paws for walking on hot sand. Large fleshy stems to store water. Small mammals such as kangaroo rats kangaroo mice pocket mice grasshopper mice antelope ground squirrels badger kit fox and coyote as well as several lizards all dig burrows to wait out the cold weather.
The foxs thick fur coat also acts as insulation during cold desert nights. Plant and animal bodies are made up of a number of complex biological processes which take place within a narrow range of temperatures. Cold-blooded animals entirely lack sweat glands as they rely on the external environment to regulate body temperature.
Many desert animals avoid the heat of the desert by simply staying out of it as much as possible. Have thick fur on feet protecting them from the hot ground. They have a long narrow bodies and scaly skin that protects them.
Apart from being a major food source for the animals of the desert thyme is commonly used in african and middle eastern cuisines. Like animals in any other desert the animals in the cold desert need specific adaptations to survive in the harsh conditions of the cold deserts like Antarctic and Gobi. Desert animals have evolved ways to help them keep cool and use less water.