12 Living in a Desert

Living in a Desert written by Pam Holden

A desert is a big, dry place that doesn't get much rain. It is a hard place to live, because everything needs water. cactuses The cactus is a desert plant that keeps water inside. Other plants grow long roots to get water from under the ground.

scorpion Small animals that live in hot deserts are rats, snakes, insects, and lizards. They hide under rocks or the sand to keep out of the sun in the daytime. desert iguana At night, when it gets cold, they come out to find food and water.

hawks Desert birds like to get away from the heat, too. Some fly high in the sky all day. Other birds only come out at night to find water and to eat insects and seeds. ostrich Ostriches live in the deserts in Africa. They are the biggest birds in the world. They are taller than people! Ostriches can't fly, but they can run fast across the hot desert.

Camels are large animals that can walk for many days with no food or water. Then they drink a lot of water at one time. They have humps on their backs to store fat for food. camels People ride camels across the desert, or they use them to take heavy loads.

Not many people live in deserts because it's hard to find water. Some people live in huts or tents. They have sheep and goats to get wool and meat and milk. They take their animals across the desert to find food.