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Animals Native to the Desert

Although deserts cover approximately 20 percent of the earths land surface, there is very little plant or animal life in these habitats. Animals that do, though, have adapted to survive with limited food sources and very little water. A number of desert animals have a nocturnal lifestyle to escape the daytime heat. These animals burrow below the ground or shelter in the shade during the day, and emerge during the hours of darkness to feed.

Rodents and Lagomorphs
- More than 20 types of kangaroo rats inhabit deserts and other dry regions in western North America. These small hopping rodents forage for seeds during the hours of darkness. They carry food items in their cheek pouches and move about on long hind feet that prevent them from sinking into the soft desert sand. You find kangaroo rats in the Chihuahuan and Sonora deserts among others. Pocket mice inhabit America's Great Basin Desert, while pack rats live in the Sonora Desert. Jack rabbits belong to the family of Lagomorphs. These large hares inhabit western North America's Mojave Desert.
Wolves and Coyotes
- Although the Mexican wolf was eradicated from its original range in the Sonora and Chihuahuan deserts, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service re-introduced this species to Arizona. The Mexican wolf is the rarest and most genetically divergent sub-species of North America's grey wolf types. The coyote, closely related to the wolf, is a fast-running predator and scavenger. Both parents care for the pups, which are born in spring. Coyotes normally live in small family groups.
Rattlesnakes and Gopher Snakes
- Rattlesnakes are venomous reptiles that continue to grow throughout their lives. These snakes are able to unhinge their jaws to swallow prey larger than their mouths. The rattlesnake announces its presence by shaking a hollow rattle at the end of its tail. The rattle acquires a new section each time the snake sheds its old skin. Rattlesnakes are common in the Chihuahuan Desert. Gopher snakes occur throughout all four deserts of the American Southwest. These slow-moving snakes can measure up to 96 inches in length.
Roadrunners and Cactus Wrens
- The fast-running roadrunner is a terrestrial bird that can move at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour. Although capable of flight, the roadrunner rarely does so, and escapes predators by either running away or by crouching down and camouflaging itself. Roadrunners inhabit the Chihuahuan and Sonora Deserts. The cactus wren is found in the deserts of the south-western United States, ranging from southern California to central Mexico. This is the largest of America's wren species.

Animals & Science