Science for Kids: Desert Facts

Deserts are dry. They are normally sandy or rocky. The original meaning of the word desert is ‘an abandoned place’.

There are four different types of deserts:
1) Polar desert
2) Subtropical desert
3) Cold winter desert
4) Cool coastal desert

The Thar desert is the 17th largest desert, and the world’s 9th biggest subtropical desert. The Carcross desert is the smallest desert in the world, it’s just a series of sand dunes since the area is too humid to be considered an actual desert. The Sahara in Africa, is the biggest and hottest desert in the world. It hasn’t rained for 200 years.

Some animals can live in the desert, such as:
1) Bobcat
2) Armadillo
3) Donkey
4) Bat
5) Camel
6) African wild dog
7) Arabian wildcat
8) Bighorn sheep
9) Shrew
10) Bison

Animals that live in the desert have special features to survive. For example, Camels:

Camels can drink a lot of water.
Camels go for a week without water.
Camels weigh up to 1500 pounds and can reach up to 7 feet high.
They’re smarter then horses.
They eat grass, grains, wheat and oats.

People has been living in the desert for thousands of years. Some desert people are nomads who move from place to place. They don’t live in one place. Bedouins are desert people. They move around with their animals to find food and water.

Bedouins and animals get water from the oasis. An oasis is a place in the the desert where there is water. Plants grow there.

 

 

Article by N (8 y.o), edited by Mum
Pictures: Public Domain

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.