This is a spiny anteater. There are only three mammals that lay eggs, and the spiny anteater is one of them.
Click on image for full size
Courtesy of Corel Photography
Desert Mammals
There are several species of mammals in the desert. They range in size from a few inches to several feet in length. Like other desert wildlife, mammals have to find ways to stay cool and drink plenty of water.
Many desert mammals are burrowers. They dig holes in the ground and stay there during the hot days. They return to the surface at night to feed. Hamsters, rats and their relatives are all burrowers. Not only do the burrows keep the animals cool, they are also a great place to store food.
Of course, not all animals live in holes in the ground. The kangaroo and spiny anteater both live in the Australian desert region. Spiny anteaters are unusual mammals because they lay eggs.
The desert is also full of wild horses, foxes and jackals, which are part of the canine family. And we can't forget the cats. Lions are found all over the deserts of southern Africa. They get their water from the blood of their prey.
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
Our
online store includes
issues of NESTA's quarterly journal, The Earth Scientist, full of classroom activities on different topics in Earth and space science, as well as
books on science education!
You might also be interested in:
Deserts are full of interesting questions. How can anything survive in a place with hardly any water? Why is it so dry to begin with? You can find at least one desert on every continent except Europe.
...more
This picture shows a part of the Earth surface as seen from the International Space Station high above the Earth. A perspective like this reminds us that there are lots of different things that cover the
...more
Like the other inhabitants of the desert, birds come up with interesting ways to survive in the harsh climate. The sandgrouse has special feathers that soak up water. It can then carry the water to its
...more
You can find insects almost anywhere in the world. So it should be of no surprise that there are plenty of insects in the desert. One of the most common and destructive pests is the locust. A locust is
...more
There are several species of mammals in the desert. They range in size from a few inches to several feet in length. Like other desert wildlife, mammals have to find ways to stay cool and drink plenty
...more
Biomes are large regions of the world with similar plants, animals, and other living things that are adapted to the climate and other conditions. Explore the links below to learn more about some of the
...more
The temperate forest biome is found in regions where there is large difference in temperature between winter and summer. Regions with this climate are generally found in the mid-latitudes, far from both
...more
