Download Desert Habitat

Desert Environment
• Deserts are the world’s driest
habitats. They get very little
rain throughout the year.
• Most deserts are very hot, but
some are cold.
• Deserts are usually very
windy.
• Some hot deserts have large
sand dunes, which are large
mounds of sand built up by
the wind.
• At night it can get very cold
because there are no clouds
to hold in the heat.
Where are the world’s
deserts?
-Hot Deserts:
Sahara Desert in Africa, North American Desert, Arabian Desert,
Australian Desert, Iranian Desert, Thar Desert
-Cold Desserts:
Gobi Desert in Africa, Patagonian Dessert, Namib Desert, Turkestan
Desert
Desert Plants
-Desert plants have adapted
to cope with little rain fall.
-The cactus is the most
famous desert plant. They
have thick stems that can
store lots of water. Some
have strong, sharp spikes to
prevent animals from eating
them.
-The Welwitschia plant has
leaves that absorb tiny
droplets of water from fog
that drifts across the desert.
Desert Animals
-Desert animals have to survive
hot days and cold nights.
-Fennec foxes have a coat of fur
that keeps them warm at night
and cool during the day because
of the light, reflective fur.
-Jackrabbits lose heat through
their large ears.
-Desert squirrels flip their bushy
tails over their backs during the
day. This gives them shade from
the sun.
-Many animals cool down by
panting or sweating.
Other Interesting Facts
-The plants that are able to grow in
the desert biome store water in their
stem. They normally grow spaced
out so that their roots can extend
and find water.
-Some deserts are so hot that when
it rains, the water evaporates in the
air before ever hitting the ground.
-The driest desert on Earth receives
on average 1 centimeter of rainfall
every 5 to 20 years.
-The desert habitat can be found on
every continent except Europe.