Animals

• What is the term for strategies developed by animals to survive in the desert?

  Adaptation
• Why can very few large animals survive in the desert?

  They cannot store sufficient water
• What is an exception to the rule of large animals surviving in the desert?

  The camel
• How long can a camel go without water?

  A week or more
• What do camels store in their humps?

  Fat
• What adaptations do camels have to protect their eyes?

  Thick eyebrows and long eyelashes
• How do camels prevent sand from entering their nostrils?

  They can close their nostrils
• What allows camels to eat prickly plants in the desert?

  Thick lips
• What is a common behavior of many desert animals to avoid daytime heat?

  Being nocturnal
• What does the Sidewinder Rattlesnake do during the day?

  Buries itself in the sand
• When is the desert tortoise active?

  At dawn and dusk
• What do desert tortoises dig to escape heat?

  Burrows leading to underground chambers
• Which animals also burrow underground to escape the sun?

  The Tarantula and Kangaroo Rat
• How does the Kangaroo Rat obtain water?

  From plants and seeds it eats
• How do many desert insects avoid the sun?

  By moving around twigs for shade
• How have the bodies of many desert animals evolved?

  To adapt to desert conditions
• Why are many desert animals paler than their relatives in moderate climates?

  To absorb less heat
• What adaptation do Jackrabbits have for heat loss?

  Long ears
• How do Jackrabbits lose heat during hot conditions?

  By holding their ears upright
• What do Jackrabbits do when it gets cold at night?

  Hold their ears close to their body
• What do some animals do during the summer to avoid high temperatures?

  They become dormant
• Which animals are mentioned as being dormant during summer?

  Squirrels and the Desert Tortoise
• What adaptation do reptiles have to retain moisture?

  Waterproof skin
• What do reptiles produce instead of urine to conserve moisture?

  Uric acid