Examples of Desert Animals-Scientific Name, Habitat & Pictures

In the desert ecosystem, just like desert plants, animals have adapted to survive in harsh conditions. However, with increasing threats to the desert ecosystem, including climate change and habitat destruction, it is important to prioritize conservation efforts for this ecosystem.

Desert Animals

Here are 15 examples of desert animals with their scientific name and habitat:

1.      Fennec fox

• Scientific name: Vulpes zerda
• Habitat: Found in the Sahara Desert in North Africa.

2.      Sand cat

• Scientific name: Felis margarita
• Habitat: Inhabits deserts in North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

3. Addax

• Scientific name: Addax nasomaculatus
• Habitat: Native to the Sahara Desert and Sahel region in Africa.

4.      Kangaroo rat

• Scientific name: Dipodomys spp.
• Habitat: Found in arid regions of North America, including deserts.

5.      Camel

• Scientific name: Camelus spp.
• Habitat: Various species such as the dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) and Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) are adapted to desert environments in Asia and Africa.

6.      Meerkat

• Scientific name: Suricata suricatta
• Habitat: Lives in the arid regions of the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa.

7.      Gila monster

• Scientific name: Heloderma suspectum
• Habitat: Inhabits the deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.

8.      Arabian oryx

• Scientific name: Oryx leucoryx
• Habitat: Native to the Arabian Peninsula and has been reintroduced in parts of the Sahara Desert.

9.      Desert Horned Viper

• Scientific name: Cerastes cerastes
• Habitat: Found in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East.

10.  Tortoise

• Scientific name: Testudo spp.
• Habitat: Various species of tortoises inhabit deserts worldwide, such as the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in North America.

11.  Dromedary

• Scientific name: Camelus dromedarius
• Habitat: Also known as the Arabian camel, it is native to the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula.

12.  Deathstalker scorpion

• Scientific name: Leiurus quinquestriatus
• Habitat: Found in deserts across North Africa and the Middle East.

13.  Thorny devil

• Scientific name: Moloch horridus
• Habitat: Inhabits the arid regions of central Australia.

14.  Bighorn sheep

• Scientific name: Ovis canadensis
• Habitat: Found in desert regions of North America, such as the Mojave Desert.

15.  Desert iguana

• Scientific name: Dipsosaurus dorsalis
• Habitat: Native to the deserts of southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.