My Animal Generator
Random animal generator

Desert Animals

What animals live in deserts?

Desert animals include small foxes and cats, large plant-eaters, reptiles, birds and invertebrates. Some spend much of their lives in dry habitats. Others move between dry areas and nearby grassland or scrub. Browse the photographs for examples from different parts of the world, including the fennec fox of North Africa and the Bactrian camel associated with Central Asia. The individual profiles show how much of each animal’s life is tied to dry places.

Browse 64 animals

Finding shade and moving after dark

Heat and scarce water shape the daily routines of many desert animals. A small mammal can spend the hottest part of the day in a burrow and come out to forage in cooler hours. A reptile can move between exposed rock and shade as it warms or cools. The fennec’s large ears are visible in a photo, and its fur-covered feet offer another clue to life on sand. A shelter or change of schedule can matter as much as a visible body feature.

Hot deserts and cold dry country

Low rainfall is the feature that connects deserts. Temperature, soils and vegetation can vary widely from one desert to another. Dromedaries are associated with hot dry parts of Africa and Asia. The two-humped Bactrian camel is suited to dry Central Asian landscapes with much colder winters. Both store fat in their humps. Compare their coats and silhouettes to see why the shared label “camel” still leaves plenty of room for differences.

Compare survival strategies

Pick an animal that forages at night and one that travels in open country during the day. Look at what it eats, where it can shelter and how far it might need to go to find food. The collection includes species with a desert habitat tag alongside animals with broader ranges. Use the related profiles to compare a sand cat with other cats or a fennec with other foxes. The contrasts make it easier to see which features are especially useful in dry country.

Desert Animals List