The Golden Jackal is a member of the canine family, and the member best suited for desert conditions. The golden jackal is the largest species of jackal, growing between 2 and 3 feet in length and weighing upwards of 25 pounds. They enjoy an extremely varied diet, consisting of animals like gazelles, rodents, reptiles, birds, eggs and even fruits.
Their versatile fur allows them to survive in a multitude of different habitats, taking on lighter colors in the summer and darker colors in the winter, thereby stabilizing body heat, like other fur-laden desert-dwelling animals. This species is highly tolerant of hot and dry conditions.
As an omnivorous animal, its diet retains enough water for sustenance in dry Saharan climates as well as nutrients for other habitats with harsh conditions. This Jackal greatly resembles a small wolf, and much like wolves, it has a keen sense of hearing and smell. The golden jackal also has night vision making both prey and other predators easy to spot.
The hyrax, also known as the rock hyrax, the Cape hyrax, and the rock rabbit is a small to medium mammal indigenous to Africa and common in the Sahara desert. These creatures are herbivorous, feeding on grass, leaves, and fruits. The moisture from their food can allow them to sustain themselves without water for over a week.
They are stout, round-eared creatures with short bristles of fur that changes color in accordance with the temperature and season. However, aside from their fur, their natural thermo-regulation abilities are limited. Like the antelopes, hyraxes forage for food only in the early morning hours and evenings.
As they are prey to numerous larger species like wild cats and snakes, this species has a strong pack mentality. They live in colonies, avoid movement in the night and assign dominant males to stand guard and act as the first line of defense for the colony against predators.
The dromedary camel is the single-humped camel, and a fixed figure in all desert-related adventures (both real and fictional). These camels normally feed on weeds and shrubs. They can also drink upwards of 40 liters of water in less than 15 minutes. However, their humps play a significant role in their survival in the desert, as they are designed to store up to 80 pounds of fat.
In cases of food scarcity in the desert, their bodies instinctively break down the fat in the hump to provide the body water and energy. In this manner, these camels can remain hydrated for an extended period. Their bodies are also designed not to sweat even in extremely high temperatures, which assists the camel in retaining water and preventing any loss of moisture.
To aid them in movement, camels have long legs with large feet perfect for walking across great distances in the sand. Their knees have naturally grown leathery patches to prevent burns when resting in the sand on their knees. They also have long eyelashes that protect their eyes from blowing sand.
A deadly desert snake, the Horned Viper is a large and heavy venomous serpent that grows up to 2 feet in length. They are found in the Sahara desert as well as deserts in the middle east. Their venom contains over 13 different toxins, and they enjoy a steady diet of rodents, insects, and birds.
They are identifiable by the horns above both eyes of the serpent. The color of the Horned viper is a pale brown shade, resembling the grainy desert sand. This, along with their agile sideways movements, allows them to blend into their surroundings. On hot days, they can bury themselves in the sand, with only their nostrils exposed, to insulate from the heat.
This technique of burying themselves also aids in their predatory activities. Preferring to hunt at night, their ability to camouflage effortlessly allows them to ambush mice and other rodents they prey on, as well as avoid other predators in the vicinity.
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