In the wet season they prefer buds and fresh green leaves but in the dry season they subsist on drought-tolerant plants such as the camelthorn (Acacia erioloba), myrrh bushes, the mopane or turpentine tree (Colophospermum mopane) and the leaves and seedpods of the ana tree (Faidherbia albida). In the Australian Outback, pooled water … Have a whole-class discussion about Arctic animal adaptations. All these are various adaptation techniques followed by the elephant. There are no genetic or physiological differences between elephants found across Namibia’s wilderness — or the African savanna elephant’s continental rangeland — but the desert variety seems to look taller. The family groups in which most desert elephants move are small and usually consist of a female elephant and her offspring or two sisters and their dependent young. In the wet season they prefer buds and fresh green leaves but in the dry season they subsist on drought-tolerant plants such as the cam… They are philosophical, stating that the elephants eat the topmost foliage of a tree, the camels browse the sides and the goats browse near the base. [4], The WILD Foundation and Save the Elephants are conservation charities that have been working with the Malian Government to conserve these elephants. Empower Her. Other animals have bodies designed to save water. There are two distinct species of elephants: African elephants (Loxodonta africana) and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). What Adaptations Help Jackrabbits Stay Cool in the Desert? Larger in Africa than in India, an elephant's ears are used for a number of purposes. They inhabit … They remain in the northern parts of their range until the rains arrive in June. No definite breeding season. Have small groups or pairs present the information they found during their research. Ask them to identify at least one way their animal has adapted to the harsh environment. Desert elephants or desert-adapted elephants are not a distinct species of elephant but are African bush elephants (Loxodonta africana) that have made their homes in the Namib and Sahara deserts in Africa. To stop calves being harmed, adults in a herd will group the young together and form a protective circle around them. This means there is more competition between the elephants and the humans. Some desert plants bloom only at night, which is an adaptation to the extreme heat of the desert sun and certain animal adaptations. PART OF WILD SKY MEDIA | FAMILY & PARENTING, International Fund for Animal Welfare: Understanding Adaptation, Defenders of Wildlife: Basic Facts About Elephants, University of Wisconsin La Crosse: Asian Elephant. They may walk up to 70 kilometers at night to find water points, which is the cause of their bigger feet. A local initiative was set up in 1997, "Les Amis des Elephants", which aims to inform villagers of when the elephants are expected to arrive in their area. They are commonly used in displays of aggression; an elephant will open its ear flaps out to make their heads look larger and more imposing. The leaves of certain desert plants, like jojoba ( Simmondsia chinensis ), move throughout the day so that the Sun’s rays fall only on the edges of the leaves, reducing the heat transferred to the surface, which reduces evapotranspiration. They know when the elephants will pass through their villages, visiting the ponds they also use for watering their herds. Some animals were fitted with GPS collars to track their movements and identify corridors through which they need to traverse to complete their journey, so that their routes could be avoided when new human settlements were established. Humans are the only predator that can threaten them. Since they're unable to sweat, they've adapted another solution. The ears also make effective air conditioning. The organism has an adaptation to get water or conserve water. Be Her Village. The Elephant Tree is found in the Sonoran Desert of southwestern Arizona, extreme southern California and northwestern Mexico to 2,500 feet elevation. They usually make the trek in a single night, when the temperature is cooler than by day. Together, these physical adaptations allow the region’s elephants to trek across vast expanses of desert in search of water. [1], In the Hoanib River area male elephants have tusks, but about a third of the female elephants there are tuskless. Desert-dwelling elephants were once more widespread in Africa than they are now and are currently found only in Namibia and Mali. They moved north for safety, returning to the Ugab River in the mid 1990s by which time many indigenous people had moved into the area following Namibia's independence. The African elephant has physical adaptations of tusks and a long trunk to drink adequate water and gather food during times of severe drought. Shape The World. [5], During a prolonged drought in 1983, the Malian Government trucked in water for the elephants. There are only three species of camels, the Dromedary camels, Bactrian camels, and wild Bactrian camels.Humans have kept camels for thousands of years because of their extraordinary ability to withstand hunger and thirst for long in the most inhospitable environments.Their ability to flourish in harsh ecological conditions has made them the most favorite domestic animal among the desert … preventing dehydration - Blooming during the daytime in the desert could cause plants to dehydrate very quickly. Desert animals for kids with pictures and facts. Some, like kangaroo rats and lizards, live in burrowswhich do not get too hot or too cold and have more humid (damp) air inside. These animals stay in their burrows during the hot days and emerge at night to feed. Desert Animal Adaptations (Amazing Animal Adaptations) by Julie Murphy (2011-08-01) by Julie Murphy | Jan 1, 1792. Although they're technically prey animals, rather than predatory ones, adults are so large that they're invulnerable to attacks from wild animals. The desert-adapted elephants are anatomically different from their counterparts found elsewhere, with a smaller body mass than other elephants. which seem to be a favourite foodstuff. They use them to strip bark and soft wood off trees, which they subsequently eat. 5. They burrow under the sand to protect themselves from the intense heat in the summer and subfreezing temperatures while it is dormant in the winter. Thinkstock. It also encourages them to act as guides and generate income from eco-tourism. In addition, they use them to dig in the ground and uncover salts and other minerals that are vital to their diets. Environmental Adaptations Elephants eat enormous amounts of vegetation daily, but the digestive system only uses about 40 percent of the intake. They are herbivorous, and their diet varies with the time of year. However, baby elephants can be attacked and killed by animals such as lions, tigers and hyenas. Dorcas gazelles even extract water before urinating so their urine comes out as solid pellets of uric acid. Although Asian elephants have smaller ears than their African cousins, the process is still as effective. Living in the heart of the Kaokoland and Damaraland regions in the far north of Namibia, one will find herds of desert adapted Elephants that survive in the harsh climate of the desert with very little water. The Malian population, which is believed to number about 400, makes a three hundred mile migratory journey each year, moving up to 35 miles a day. In the process of evolution, many of these body parts may have developed later, but the elephants have adapted them to use nature and their environment for their survival. Desert elephants can drink up to 160 liters of water per day and will travel far in their quest for water. The absence of sweat glands, and the concentration of urine are other physical adaptations made by desert animals. The other common elephant tree of Baja California is Pachycormus discolor (the term "pachy-" meaning elephant-like, because elephants are pachyderms). Although they're technically prey animals, rather than predatory ones, adults are so large that they're invulnerable to attacks from wild animals. At certain times of year they move inland along narrow traditional paths to mountain areas in search of myrrh bushes (Commiphora spp.) Plant adaptations in the desert, rainforest and tundra allow plants and trees to sustain life. Sandfish. Nowadays they are restricted to the Gourma area, a remote region in Mali south of a loop made by the River Niger near Timbuktu. Desert elephants are notoriously difficult to spot as they roll around in the desert dust any chance they get, leaving them the colour of the sand found in their natural environment. They extract water from the desert plants they eat, and conserve their energy during the day. (Photo by Norbert Schuster) Like the desert rhin… It was believed at one time that they were a subspecies of the African bush elephant, but this is no longer thought to be the case. Free-roaming desert elephants in Namibia, Africa can be destructive in their search for water, and due to the devastating succession of droughts in the region, they are often competing for the same resources as other animals and humans. [3], "Help Needed to Buy Water for Dying Elephants", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Desert_elephant&oldid=968539350, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 20 July 2020, at 00:38. They flap their large ears to help cool the blood in their capillaries and distribute the cooler blood through their bodies. High temperatures and scarcity of water makes sustenance very difficult in the desert. One of the hyena's adaptations is its strong jaws and teeth. 64. They tend to stay near the ephemeral rivers where there is greater availability of food. The desert monitor is a large, desert-dwelling species of lizard. Elephants' massive size is a great anti-predator adaptation. Not actually a fish but a lizard, the sandfish is a distinctive species of skink native … Their tusks can also help them to survive through dry spells, as they use them to bore down into the earth and find water in dry riverbeds. Adaptations in Desert Animals. long eye lashes, hairy ears and closing nostrils help to keep out sand. They may walk up to 70 kilometers at night to find water points, which is the cause of their bigger feet. When you're a large creature with a short neck, a trunk is an extremely useful part of your anatomy. They are herbivorous, and their diet varies with the time of year. Adult bull elephants can eat about 250 kilograms (550 lb) of fodder a day and drink about 160 litres (35 imp gal; 42 US gal), but they can go without water for up to three days at a time. Elephants live in hot conditions and need to be able to cool themselves down. This plant is in a totally different family (the cashew family, Anacardiaceae) and yet looks almost identical to B. microphylla.The main features that help to distinguish it are the greyish twigs and the pinnate leaves with larger, … The desert tortoise has made many adaptations to its home environment. Animals That Can Go Long Periods Without Water. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The nearly frost-free climate allows for larger, handsome and beautiful trees. Plant populations co-evolve characteristics that are uniquely tailored to their environment. Deserts are regions in which very little rain falls. Desert Plants Adaptations and Facts- Geography | Mocomi Kids [1] Elephants have traditionally lived in this area and in the earlier part of the 20th century there were about 3,000 in the Kunene Region. Many of these new residents had no experience of living with wild elephants. Adaptations help desert animals to acquire and retain water, and to regulate body temperatures, which helps them to survive in the harsh conditions of the desert. The charities did what they could but the weakened state of the animals made it difficult to help them. The elephants use their ears to cool themselves by flapping them, and making the air cooler around them. More Buying Choices $5.99 (16 used & new offers) Avian Desert Predators (Adaptations of Desert … It is estimated that nearly 60 percent of elephant feces is undigested or partially digested vegetation. Humans are the only predator that can threaten them. The organism has at least five adaptations to help it survive in the desert. wide feet so they don't sink in the sand. These adaptations are a direct result of evolution and include things like hibernation and migration. Introduction: Deserts & Desert Animals (Scroll down to see the animals!) 4. © 2021 WILD SKY MEDIA. Adult bull desert elephants are usually solitary and roam over large areas. Because fat intensifies heat, a unique physical adaptation of some desert animals is the storage of fat in humps or tails, rather than throughout the entire body. Initiation of breeding behaviour by rainfall. These elephants have developed certain adaptations for desert life and tend to have relatively broader feet, longer legs and smaller bodies than other African bush elephants. Lucifer Hummingbird (Calothorax lucifer) Birds of this species are sexually dimorphic. THE CONFLICT. Some groups are resident in the Hoarusib River valley and a single group stays permanently near the Hoanib River while other groups move between the two, a distance of about 70 kilometres (43 mi). These elephants are the remnants of a number of groups which used to inhabit large areas of the Sahel as recently as 1970, before mostly being eliminated by poachers. [2] In 1995–1996 there were good rains in Namibia and the elephants expanded their range southwards to the Ugab River. What Is the Purpose of the Dolphin's Blubber? Adaptations can include such traits as narrow leaves, waxy surfaces, sharp spines and specialized root systems. How Do Elephants Use Adaptations for Getting Their Food? Other bulls have occasionally moved into the area from better-watered regions to the east. Although their tusks can bring elephants some trouble, as they're mainly poached for their ivory, they're also very useful. Not only does it help elephants to reach food high up in branches, it also allows them to get to food and water on the ground, which they otherwise wouldn't be able to access. Additionally, they use their trunks to make calls and other sounds to communicate with one another and warn their herd about any potential threats. Is there any water around here? Animal adaptations are necessary in the savanna due to the extreme contrast between a long dry season and a very wet season. $3.99 shipping. They then head southwards, moving briefly into northern Burkina Faso before moving northwards again. They face pressure from poaching and from changes in land use by humans. The answer to that question is yes, but very little. Desert elephants, blink and you may miss them! [3], Rock art dating back to Neolithic times throughout the Sahara show that elephants were at that time widespread across much of North Africa. Desert populations of the Bufo boreas species complex tend to be smaller in size and of more slender-bodied proportions. The desert is hot during the day so they go to their burrows and dens until it is cooler. Desert-adapted elephants develop wider footpads to walk over the Namib's sandy terrain. 4. thick eyebrows which stand out and shade eyes from the sun. All these are various adaptation techniques followed by the elephant. Paperback $16.64 $ 16. Desert animals prevent water leaving their bodies in a number of different ways. Desert adapted Elephants are found in only two locations in the world; in Mali and in the northern reaches of Namibia. What Adaptations Help Elephants Keep Cool? Desert tortoises are active mostly during the day depending on the temperature. [1], The desert elephants were absent from the southern Kunene Region during the war for independence. This Desert Animal Adaptations and Habitats PowerPoint will help your child to gain a greater understanding of the world around them and the diverse nature of the animal kingdom. Thus they frighten easily and extreme patience and silence are required if you do not wish to disturb them. Only 1 left in stock - order soon. This allows it to hunt and bring down prey that is much larger than itself as well as pulverize hard bones when eating. This process can lower their blood temperature by more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. [6], These elephants have developed certain adaptations for desert life and tend to have relatively broader feet, longer legs and smaller bodies than other African bush elephants. [4] The nomadic Touareg people who live in this region with their herds have been tolerant of the elephants. As unique as a fingerprint, no two elephants' ears are exactly the same. They are also very shy and have poor eyesight, but have excellent hearing and a terrific sense of smell. The Kunene Region in the northwest of Namibia is an area of mostly sandy desert, rocky mountains and stony plains which covers about 115,154 square kilometres (44,461 sq mi). The bones are an important part of the hyena diet, giving it many vitamins and minerals. Elephants' massive size is a great anti-predator adaptation. Their feet are also larger, presumably enabling them to better negotiate sand. One was recorded as travelling between the Skeleton Coast National Park and the Etosha National Park in a few months. Moving Leaves. The elephants follow an anticlockwise route that takes them past temporary and permanent water holes. They tend to migrate from one waterhole to another following traditional routes which depend on the seasonal availability of food and water. However, baby elephants can be attacked and killed by animals such as lions, tigers and hyenas. Another desert-adapted animal is the dorcas gazelle, which can live for a very long time without water in Northern Africa. The Thorny Devil Drinks with Its Skin. Animal adaptations for living in the desert. By the 1980s these had greatly diminished in number, however since then, conservation measures have been put in place and by 2013 the number of elephants had increased to about 600. Males … Nowadays, these people are living more settled lives and building huts, tending gardens, planting orchards and growing fodder grass at the water's edge of ponds. Desert elephants have big feet. A to Z list of animals that live in the desert. They both live in hot, somewhat inhospitable environments, with occasional droughts and plenty of predators to threaten prey animals, but their adaptations have helped them to survive these conditions. They live in rocky dry slopes of desert mountains. List these adaptations on the board, and discuss any common adaptation strategies across species. So how do the animals survive in such an arid environment? It also teaches them about adaptation - where animals evolve and change to fit within their environment, such as desert habitats . Hot, Hot Hot! They are elusive and tend to seclude themselves among Acacia trees during the day, emerging to drink and feed at night. Use of temporary water for reproduction. Desert Monitor. Sonoran Desert of southwestern Arizona, extreme southern California and northwestern Mexico to 2,500 feet elevation 3. [4] The rains failed again in 2008 and the following year the adult elephants were digging down to access water deep below the surface but the youngsters could not reach the water with their trunks and were dying. They use water, mud or dust for bathing or coating their skin. Humans are the only predator that can threaten them. The adaptations exhibited by xeric amphibians can be summarized as follows: 1.