Covering one fifth of the Earth’s surface, deserts range from hot and sandy North Africa to cold and dry Antarctica. The animals living there need to withstand heat or cold, and to store sufficient water. A seemingly uninhabitable place, Kalahari Desert of South Africa supports one of the richest collections of wildlife in the world. A semi-desert, Kalahari has an erratic rainy season that many animals take advantage of. Meanwhile, the Gobi Desert, which stretches from southern Mongolia to China, is bleak with barren rocks and drifting sands. There, the animals live underground and forage at night.
Desert animals are hardy and self-sufficient. In the Gobi Desert, hedgehogs have long ears to help them keep comfortable. Penguins cope with swimming in cold waters by having stiff feathers and a layer of fat. Camels store water and fat in their humps to cross the Sahara desert.
In many stories, deserts are associated with both purification and divine inspiration. The openness of the desert symbolizes the infinite. Pitted against the forces of nature, humans become purified. In Christian religious traditions, the Desert Saints, such as St. John the Baptist, lived in the desert to commune with God.
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Va. Carper
May 7, 2008