, desert animals have adapted to cope with periods without water and often extreme heat and sunlight. Use the table below to discover unique animal adaptations of life in the Trans-Pecos desert.

Behavioral Adaptations

Many animals only come out in the cool of the night like scorpions, rats, owls, snakes and even desert mule deer.

Some burrowing animals like the Spadefoot toad may only come out a few nights every summer following rain!

Tarantula wasps lay their eggs in hijacked tarantulas. Newly hatched larvae feast on the poison-stunned tarantula! [picture] [picture]

Some desert animals have specialized kidneys for water conservation and urine filtration. Birds like the cactus wren have concentrated urine consisting mostly of crystallized uric acid. Their only water source comes from their diet (insects and seeds)

Birds are considered among the most successful inhabitants of the desert. They remain active in the hot desert sun long after other animals have retreated for shade and shelter. Since birds do not have sweat glands, nor pant in order to cool down their bodies, they actually lose water when they exhale to help dissipate heat from their heads.