Ecology:
Desert Wildlife
Although at first glance the desert seems to have little in the way of wildlife, it actually contains
large, diverse populations. The desert environment may seem an unlikely place for animals to thrive or even exist.
However, desert animals have adapted to their environment, and each fills an important niche in the desert ecosystem.
Many animals get their water from the food they eat. Green leaves contain
lots of water. The animals that eat only plants, like the
cottontail
and chuckwalla, are called
herbivores. The
body of an animal also contains liquid in its blood and tissues. Animals
that eat only other animals are called
carnivores. The
coyote will eat just
about anything, plant or animal. That's what makes him a master at
desert survival. Animals that eat both plants and other animals are
called omnivores.
Some animals survive only in the Mojave Desert, these are called
endemic species. Some animals live
throughout all the southwestern desert areas and some are merely passing through on a migratory path. Regardless,
whether living permanently in the Mojave, staying only seasonally or flying by, adaptations to the extreme climate and
lack of water must be made. Endemic species usually have
adapted
to these conditions to the highest degree.
Wildlife by Type
Mammals
... the class of vertebrate animals primarily characterized by the presence of ...
Reptiles
Reptiles are cold-blooded and don't have a constant body temperature. They are only able to ...
Birds
Birds (class Aves) are bipedal, warm-blooded, vertebrate animals that lay eggs.
Insects
Insects, a major group of arthropods, have an exoskeleton ...
Wildlife by Predation
Predators
Predation is an interaction between animals in which one captures and feeds upon ...
Prey
The term prey refers to an animal that is sought, captured, and eaten ...
Wildlife by Diet
Carnivores
Carnivores are predators and chiefly eat meat, although some will consume ...
Omnivores
Omnivores are animals which consume both other animals and plants.
Herbivores
An herbivore is an animal that eats only plants and no meat. However, many herbivores will eat ...
Insectivores
Any animal with a diet that consists chiefly of insects
and similar small creatures is an insectivore.
Scavengers
An organism that habitually feeds on refuse or carrion.
Wildlife by Activity
Other:
Diurnal
Diurnal animals protect themselves from the heat by spending most of the day ...
Nocturnal
Nocturnal animals are active at night and ...
Feral Animals
Source/references:
California Department Fish & Game
National Park Service
& others
Watchable Wildlife Areas
Places you can go to increase your chances of seeing desert wildlife in nature.Special Wildlife Sections
Animal Adaptations
Desert animals are more susceptible to temperature extremes than are ...The Desert Food Chain
Who eats what, and what eats who ...Raptors
The word raptor comes from the Latin word “rapere” which means to seize or plunder. ...Endangered Species
An endangered species is a plant or animal in danger of becoming ...
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard
Wildlife by Geography
National Parks & RefugesJoshua Tree
Despite the impression that the desert is ...Death Valley
Despite those extremes it is home to a diverse ...Red Rock Canyon NCA
Mammals, reptiles & birds of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area ...Hoover Dam/Lake Mead
... alive with plants, animals, insects, fish and ...Grand Canyon
Its large size, relatively unfragmented and ...Yosemite
With habitats ranging from thick foothill ...Ash Meadows
... a haven for wildlife, especially rare ...Zion
Contained within the park are ...~ Slideshows ~
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Mountain Lion
Coyote
Tortoise
Red-tailed Hawk
Raven
Vulture
Tarantula
Cottontail Rabbit
Chuckwalla
Zebra-tailed Lizard
Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard