Coping with heat

Animals do not like the desert, although we see some animals living here.

In addition, some species of animals pass through the desert during annual migration or when there is a sudden boom after a good crop season in the countries bordering the desert.

Major challenges

To live in the desert almost every animal must face at least three major challenges. First, it must withstand the extreme heat, sometimes over 50 degrees Celsius. Second, it has to be able to survive on a bare minimum of water, or without it, for a prolonged period. Third, it must have means of expelling excessive salt from the body and efficient means of excretion of urine and stools in the form of solids, instead of semi-solids or liquids.

Most deserts have their share of reptiles. These include lizards and snakes and a few tortoises. Lizards dominate the UAE desert.

Common species

In the first category, the Arabian toad-head agama (Phrynocephalus arabicus) is the most common species.

Recently, when the outside temperature was a little over 48 degrees Celsius, I found an agama standing almost vertically, taking support of the stump of a dead desert plant. It kept its whole body and even its tail clear of the plant and the ground which was terribly hot. This position allowed formation of a kind of air circulation passing from either tail or head under the body and over the stump, in the process cooling the agama’s body. Because it was vertically anchored there was minimum sunlight hitting the body, so it could survive during the hottest part of the day in the middle of the desert.

What a unique feat!