Adaptation of Animals to Hot Deserts

Geography: AQA GCSE, topic 2.3.4

How Animals are Adapted to Hot Deserts

Animals in hot deserts have adaptations that allow them to handle the physical conditions of high temperatures and limited water supply.

Jackrabbits are like normal rabbits, but they have huge ears.
This gives them a high surface area to volume ratio, meaning they can lose heat easily.
Fennec foxes also have larger ears than normal foxes.

Coyotes live in the hot deserts in the United States of America.
Coyotes, like antelope squirrels, live in hot deserts and are nocturnal.
Being nocturnal means that animals avoid having to move or use energy when it is the hottest part of the day. They can shelter in the shade.

Like succulent plants, camels store water for long periods of time.
Camels store water in their bloodstream (not their humps).
Camel humps store fat, which means that camels have a food source if they are stuck in the desert for a long time. The fat in a camel's humps can also be turned into water if needed.
Camels' feet have a very wide surface area to make sure that they don't get stuck in soft sand. This uses the same mechanism as snowshoes to stay above snow.