desert animals

The Sahara Desert has a variety of animals who are able to withstand the harsh climate to survive and thrive.

dealthstalker scorpion

One of the most poisonous animals that live in the Sahara Desert are the deathstalker scorpions which have the potential to kill children and the aged from the toxins in their bite and in adults this will cause excruciating pain.

sand viper

Another species that is found in this desert is a deadly viper called the ‘sand viper’. These snakes usually grow to about 20-35cm long and have small eyes on their tiny heads. The toxic venom that they are able to produce allow them to kill their prey almost immediately, their usual prey being small mammals, birds and lizards.

west african crocodile

The West African crocodile lives in the desert and remains in a dormant state during periods of severe drought in caves and burrows. Then, during the rainy season, the crocodiles gather at gueltas, pockets of water that form canals in the Sahara.

desert monitor

Desert monitors are also found in the Sahara Desert, a cold-blooded creature that is in hibernation from September to April. They are able to grow to 1-2 meters long and can live for up to 8 years. They usually eat rodents, fish and eggs and sometimes birds and small mammals.

african silverbill

The African Silverbill is one of the few animals that lives in the desert and is not overly dangerous. The Silverbill is a bird that primarily spends their time gathered close together in flocks in high branches of trees and feed on grass seeds and the seeds of growing plants.

red-necked ostrich

The red-necked North African Ostrich lives in the desert and is also the largest living bird in the world. They are about 9 feet in length and have a pink-red neck. However, this species is in rapid decline due to hunting for food, farming and a loss of their natural habitats.

rock hyrax

The rock hyrax is a small mammal that takes shelter in the rock caves and crevices and come out to forage for food. They live in big groups of anywhere between 10 and 80 animals and stick with this group to forage.

dromedary camel

The Dromedary camel is also known as the Arabian camel and has been domesticated by the human settlers of the Sahara Desert. They have one hump and are used for transport and meat. They have been bred to adapt to the arid conditions and are nocturnal in nature.

fennec fox

The Fennec fox is a fox species that has large ears compared to their small bodies. They have adapted to the climate and are found in several parts of Africa aside from the Sahara Desert, such as Morocco and Egypt. They feed on insects, small birds and rodents. They are able to camouflage well in the desert due to their sandy brown colour, making it difficult for them to be detected by predators.