Adaptations.

The animals: In the desert.

There are numerous animals that live within the Sahara desert; all of these are adapted to cope with the conditions of the habitat. They all have certain features that make them different to animals that may live in a different habitat, like a polar bear. When we look at animals it’s not always obvious that they have all these essential adaptations that make them stay alive. For example, Fennec fox has large 6” ears, thick fur, sand coloured fur, fur on their feet and kidneys that restrict water loss. This is all important; in fact without all this the fennec fox may be unable to live! The large ears help get rid of heat quickly in hot dessert days because they have a large surface area, the thick fur insulates in the cold, open nights in the Sahara, the golden brown fur is camouflage against any predators that might also live in the habitat and not only is the fur a camouflage and insulator it also helps them walk on the loose sand- it does a lot! The kidneys are vital to the sand fox as well; they are specially formed to restrict water loss which is very important as there is a struggle for water in the desert.
Another animal that is widely adapted to the desert habitat is the camel; the most obvious of all is that it has a hump to store water, or is it? Surprisingly, a camel doesn’t store water in its hump it in fact store fat so it can be released slowly as energy when needed. A camel can go a week without water and several months without food. It can drink up to 36 gallons of water to store at once! The camels body temperature can change from 34o-41o throughout the day, this happens so they don’t have to sweat saving water for their bodies. Doing this is a physiological adaptation. Camels have a lot to protect them from the sun, heat and sand… thick eyebrows to shade their eyes, long eye lashes to keep the sand out of their eyes and more hair in their ears to keep the sand out more. The most amazing thing is that their nostrils can close to stop the sand blowing up their nose! These are all physical adaptations. Camel’s feet are also wide so it is easier to walk on sand searching for desert plants to eat. Their lips are thick and tough do they can eat cacti and prickly plants without any pain. It’s amazing how much an animal is adapted to where it lives!

The plants:

Although it isn’t just animals that are adapted, plants are also too! It has taken millions of years for plants like this to adapt so well all plants have gone through physical changes to survive. Cacti have thorns or spines, on a regular plant this would be leaves but they are reduced to lessen the amount of water vapour lost, it also gives the plant more protection against animals that might feed off the plant. The stem is the main part of the plant; it is usually thick and stores a lot of the water to keep it alive it is also the place for photosynthesis. The stem also keeps the cacti straight and upright cutting down exposure to midday sun. They also normally have shallow roots directly below the soil, which is able to trap and absorb even the smallest amount of water that may fall. Many species also have extremely deep feeder roots which will tap into underground water sources if they are available, these roots can extend up to 30 meters below the soil!
A Venus fly trap can easily produce a poison that is colourful to attract fly/small insects. When an insect lands on the leathery leaves, it can use its quick reactions to trap the insect within its leaves with its lid. Living in hot climates, food can be very scarce- this plant has specifically adapted for whenever any food may come it can have it straight away. It has downward pointing hair to prevent any escape on captured water in the pitfall. The pitfall is a trap filled with stored water and bacteria. The bacteria, or digestive enzymes, are what digest the food.

Star Nosed Mole:

A star nosed mole is likely to be found in wet low areas. They, like other animals, have adaptations that have become apparent to us when observed after a number of years.
The star-nosed mole is covered in thick, blackish-brown, water-repellent fur. Being a good swimmer in dark, swampy waters this is a good form of camouflage it also keeps the mole warmer as the fur will insulate the mole when in and out of the water. It has large, scaled feet that help it swim easily and cope better in watery conditions. A long, thick, tail has been identified as a fat storage for in the seasons like spring when they breed. Like the camel, this storage enables the mole to go slightly longer without food and lets energy be released slowly. Adults are no more than 15 to 20 cm in length, and only weigh about 2 oz. Being a smaller size they are able to swim along the bottom of swamps and rivers without being seen too much. It also lets them to dig tunnels as homes; this will keep them safe from predators as they won’t be able to get into the tunnel. The mole's most distinctive feature is a circle of 22 mobile, pink, fleshy tentacles called rays at the end of the snout- this is where it gets its name from. The tentacles are very sensitive and can easily feel around to identify pray. It almost acts as a big hand! It is believed that these moles have very poor eye sight so have an extra sensitive nose cancels out the loss of sight. Star nosed moles survive off a diet of small insects and things like worms. These will always be around the area of where the mole will live.

Barn Owl:

Barn owls are adapted very cleverly in order for survival.
Compared to most birds, Barn Owls have very large wings supporting a light body, this means they are able to fly very slowly without making a noise and hover over unconscious prey giving them a huge advantage. Having large wings also enables them to glide through the air effortlessly. Owls feathers are very soft - another adaptation for extremely quiet flight. The flight feathers are covered in a layer of tiny hairs that trap air within the feathers which means it is almost silent. Because most of this birds prey are small mammals having a quiet flight lets the, hear any small noises that the prey make. Hearing is very sensitive on an owl; the heart shape face works in a way that sound can be directed into the inner ear to give the bird an idea of where prey is. Not only is hearing very well, eye sight is too! It is estimated that the barn owl’s eye sight is twice light sensitive to ours meaning it can see in the dark better than us. Other things like their legs and toes also help it survive and catch prey. Having long legs and toes, which can clutch on to things, means when it swoops down to prey it is unlikely it will miss. An obvious thing, which most animals have, is camouflage. Being high up in trees it has shades of brown in its feathers to blend into the bark and leaves. Without these adaptations it would be near impossible to catch any prey, therefore live!