What do snakes eat in the desert? Desert Animals
Efa is rightfully considered one of the most dangerous inhabitants of our planet. Its bite is fatal in every fifth case. In addition, she is not at all afraid to use her teeth even against the largest opponents. Therefore, it is better for people to know what this deadly predator looks like. In what regions does it live? And what should you do when meeting him?
Efa snake: description
Efa (lat. Echis carinatus) is sand snake Viper family. This species prefers to live in In particular a large number of These snakes live in the vastness of African wastelands and deserts. Also, some of its subspecies can be found in southern regions Asia and Indonesia.
As for nearby territories, the efa snake can be found in Uzbekistan. And although their population here is not as large as in Indonesia, they still pose a significant threat to people who dare to enter the desert lands of these regions.
Appearance
Over the course of many years, efa has adapted well to life in the desert. This can be seen not only in her habits, but also in appearance. Thus, light colors predominate on the reptile’s body, most often a golden hue. From the tail to the head there is a dark zigzag pattern, which stands out strongly against the background of multi-colored spots located randomly on the snake’s back.
In addition, efa is a snake with many ribbed scales. They help the reptile regulate body temperature, which is extremely important for life in arid climate. The scales themselves are ribbed and are best visible on the back and sides of the predator.
But nature has deprived the snake of size. Yes, even the most large individuals rarely exceed the threshold of 80 cm, and the average representative of this species grows only up to 50 cm. But such proportions are quite justified, given the fact that efe has to exist in conditions with limited resources.
Habitat
Let's start with the fact that efa is a very active snake. It rarely stays in one place, and therefore it can be found both on the open planes of the desert and among the dense thickets of the steppe. In addition, some representatives of this species feel quite comfortable on rocky terrain. Good for them small size allows them to easily slip into even the narrowest holes and crevices.
However, the snakes themselves prefer to live among dense thickets and bushes. Firstly, it allows the efe to hide its presence from prying eyes. And secondly, there is much more food in such areas, which is very tempting. Otherwise, the predator quickly adapts to any living conditions.
Potential victims
Like most of its relatives, the efa snake is a born hunter. The basis of its diet is insects, as they are easy to catch. Moreover, more big catch can be real problem for a reptile, because it simply won’t fit into its mouth. But this does not mean that the snake cannot kill it - the venom of the efa is quite enough to knock down an adult horse.
In addition, the predator loves to hunt small rodents. For them, they are an important source of energy, since, unlike insects, they are warm-blooded. If food becomes really tight, the efa begins to pounce on everything that it can subsequently swallow.
Features of behavior
The epha snake is active both during the day and at night. This is highly unusual for reptiles, which prefer to divide the day into periods of hunting and rest. However, our predator does not stop its travel cycle even after it has eaten a hearty meal. The maximum that she will do is slow down her “step”, and then not by much.
Also, this type of reptile does not fall into hibernation. True, in the regions where they live, the coolness rarely drops to the point that it can affect the snake’s metabolism. And yet, with a strong drop in temperature, the epha still calms down a little: it stops traveling and settles in the found hole or crevice.
Reproduction
The epha snake is notable for the fact that it gives birth to live offspring. Let us remember that most reptiles are accustomed to laying eggs, and such metamorphoses are very rare for them. But this type predators decided to stand out from the rest of their brothers.
Mating games for snakes begin in late January - early March. The gestation period is a little More than a month, and therefore already in early spring the female gives birth to young offspring. At the same time, at one time it is capable of giving birth to 16 baby snakes, which are immediately ready to feed on their own.
Danger to humans
As stated earlier, sand f-hole- this is very poisonous snake. If you don't provide it on time medical care, then its bite will be fatal to a person. At the same time, the victim herself will experience terrible pain, because the toxins released into the body immediately begin to corrode the blood cells in it.
The worst thing is that efa is not afraid of people. She can safely approach their homes and even crawl into them. For example, there is plenty of evidence that the snake made its lair under the floor or in a closet. Therefore, if a person is in an area where these snakes live, he must always be on alert.
But the animals of the Sahara Desert are among those who were able to adapt to harsh conditions deserts, so they can be included in the list of the most interesting animals on our planet.
The animals of the Sahara are unique in their kind, and most of them are almost impossible to find in other parts of the world.
1. Animals in the desert: Horned vipers
In my own way scientific name- Cerastes cerastes - these reptiles may seem harmless. Actually poison horned viper causes serious damage to tissues and red blood cells. The entry of hemotoxins into the body can be fatal. Today it is an endangered species.
2. Desert fauna: Dromedary camel
It is worth noting that in the past a large number dromedary camels(or dromedaries) roamed the deserts of North Africa, but today you can only find domesticated animals, which, being incredibly strong and hardy animals, help people in African and Asian countries transport heavy loads.
They are also used for riding. Contrary to the opinion of many people, these animals do not store water in their hump, but fat, which they feed on in case of food shortage.
3. Animals living in the desert: Dorcas gazelle
This animal has a sandy color, which helps it camouflage in the desert. Thanks to the dew on the plants it feeds on, as well as the consumption of water-conserving plants, this gazelle can almost never drink.
The animal can reach a height of 65 cm and a weight of 25 kg. It is worth noting that the Dorcas gazelle instinctively jumps away when a predator approaches. This reflex serves as a warning signal to other gazelles. In addition, the Dorcas gazelle runs very quickly, reaching speeds of almost 80 km/h.
4. Animals of the Sahara Desert: Sacred Scarab (or Dung Beetle)
This beetle attacks the droppings of ungulates. When sacred scarab finds the droppings, he begins to roll them with his back pair of legs, rolling them into a ball. After this, he rolls the ball of dung into the underground voids, where he eats it.
IN autumn time The scarab beetle uses the dung to prepare an even larger ball, and hides it in a large cavity - the female lays eggs in it.
5. What animals live in the desert: Addax (or mendes antelope)
Previously, addaxa could be seen in deserts and semi-deserts stretching from Western Sahara and Mauritania to Egypt and Sudan. Today, the range has decreased significantly - the Mendes antelope can be found only in a few sandy and rocky deserts of Niger, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Libya and Sudan.
Thanks to the structure of their paws, these creatures can move through difficult, sandy areas without problems. But the same thing makes them vulnerable to danger - it is difficult for them to escape from predators. There are about 500 individuals in the world.
6. African Desert Animals: Yellow Scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus
The Sahara is also home to a dangerous survivor yellow scorpion. While its larger brothers inspire fear with their size, this small scorpion uses its weakness and fragile-looking pincers to destroy its opponents.
This scorpio's main weapon is neurotoxins. Even though an adult healthy man may only experience pain from the attack of a yellow scorpion, for children and the elderly this battle can end fatally.
7. What animals live in the Sahara Desert: African ostrich
Although the ostrich cannot fly, it is one of the fastest animals on Earth, capable of reaching speeds of up to 70 km/h.
But besides its speed, the ostrich can boast of several more characteristics: it can move great distances, has excellent hearing and vision, and can safely fight off predators with its powerful legs.
Mainly feeds on grass, but sometimes eats small animals. Ostriches from the Sahara Desert are a separate subspecies.
8. Animals that live in the Sahara Desert: Monitor lizard
Unlike simple lizards, the monitor lizard is very dangerous due to its venom, which can be compared to that of a snake. But you shouldn’t be afraid of him, because... It usually uses its main weapon to hunt insects, rats, and other small animals.
These cold-blooded creatures easily adapt to the hot desert climate. When it gets very cold, they become more aggressive. In addition, they really do not like living in captivity.
When traveling around the United Arab Emirates, as a rule, within the city limits you have absolutely nothing to fear, but when you are in the desert, you should not forget that here you can find insects and reptiles that can pose a danger to your life. foreign tourists, and, of course, do not try to chew or smell plants and flowers that are unfamiliar to you.
The deserts of the United Arab Emirates are home to several species of snakes, three of which are venomous.
The most dangerous of snakes is considered to be the sand viper, because of its khaki, which makes the snake almost invisible to the untrained eyes of tourists at the moment when it is resting under a bush or boulder. However, in addition to this, the snake has a disgusting habit of burying itself in the sand.
Therefore, a large number of bites have been recorded from those people who accidentally stepped on a sand viper, which was hiding from the mercilessly scorching sun in the desert sands.
The carpet viper is also no less poisonous; fortunately, it almost always warns of its location with a hiss.
carpet viper
The snake’s skin also almost blends in with the color of the sand, but has small light spots on its back.
Dark long rattlesnake It is very easy to spot in the sand, since it can also leave behind zigzag tracks.
Other species include: water snakes that live in aquatic environment, small desert snakes and sand boa - which do not pose any danger to humans.
Although water snake and lives in drying up lakes and mountain streams, but in its color it is very similar to a sand viper, for which it sometimes has to pay with its life. The yellow-brown sand boa primarily lives in rocky areas. Small and nimble desert snakes are thinner than a little finger; they are easily distinguished by their black shiny eyes and dark spots on their backs.
In the United United Arab Emirates Of the huge variety of insects, only the spider is dangerous for tourists black Widow and Scorpio.
Scorpion
Scorpios should be feared according to the principle: “the lighter the scorpion, the more poisonous it is.”
While swimming in the sea, you may get a small burn on your skin if you accidentally collide with a jellyfish.
Most often this happens between September and October, since at this very time jellyfish come close to the coastline.
Hunting and diving enthusiasts should take precautions and be aware of fish and shellfish that may pose a danger to people.
A sting from the conical shells is fatal.
The shells on the east coast in the Emirate of Sharjah in the Khor-Fakkan region are very dangerous; they have a small shape that looks like a cut diamond.
The bite of sea snakes is also fatal. Usually, sea snakes They are quite peaceful and are most often found in the open ocean.
Snakes have very small mouths and can bite an intrusive diver on the ear, toes or fingers.
On the east coast, in the reef area, you can find scorpion fish and stone fish.
These poisonous fish mostly live at the very bottom, so for swimming and walking at the water's edge on a wild beach east coast You must wear rubber shoes.
In the United Arab Emirates, the desert is very diverse: whimsical canyons, lifeless dunes and small paradise oases. Once an inhospitable and harsh desert, it now offers many opportunities for exciting and wonderful adventures - from swimming in clear mountain lakes to exciting jeep safaris. In a desert most of wears all the vegetation seasonal nature, and animals, as a rule, lead night look life. Footprints desert foxes and lizards up to four feet long can be seen on the sands of the dunes, and live in nature reserves different types gazelles. In other places there are hyenas, jackals, hares, foxes, lizards and jerboas.
In the east of the country you can see the richest vegetation; there, along the wonderful mountain slopes of Jebel al-Hajar, there are palm and date groves, which are irrigated by streams of water flowing from the mountains. However, the green decoration of the capital of Dubai is not a cheap pleasure. Traveling around the city, passing by lawns, you can hear the hissing of invisible water jets, and on the streets, special capillary tubes are connected to each tree. All irrigation systems in the country are controlled by computers.
In Dubai in winter you can see various birds that fly here to spend the winter. Migratory birds They are also not afraid to fly into the city; sometimes entire flocks can decorate the parks of seaside hotels. Between the houses you can see birds of prey- golden eagles or falcons.
The best of the rabbis became blind over their books, turned gray and grew old in the study of the Law, in anticipation of the Messiah. Finally, the Promised One appeared, but not all those who prayed for His speedy arrival recognized Him as the Long-awaited One. Instead of final relief of conscience, temptation arose, an annoying swarm of questions and bewilderment.
Archpriest Andrey Tkachev
Indeed, Christ came to the “fall and rising of many in Israel and to the point of controversy” (Luke 2:34). Christ is the precious and cornerstone, but “whoever falls on this stone will be broken, and on whomever it falls, will crush" (Matthew 21:44)
It was necessary to have a very humble soul and a blessed mind so as not to make a mistake in the matter of recognizing Christ or not recognizing Him.
One of the owners of such a mind is Nicodemus. This ruler of the Jews came to the Messiah at night and talked with Him. The third chapter of John's Gospel conveys this conversation. In it, Nicodemus admitted that Christ came from God, and “we,” that is, the Pharisees, “know” this. Christ spoke to him about being born again and about the Kingdom of God. In a conversation with him, the conversation touched on the future crucifixion of the Son of God. Christ spoke about His suffering, remembering the events described in.
The words of Christ sound like this: (John 3:14)
A student of Scripture at this point needs to look at the footnote, find the coordinates of the words mentioned (Num. 21:9), and read the quoted text itself. This is what you should always do when you encounter references to the Old Testament in the New Testament.
So, in this place The book of Numbers speaks of Israel's repeated grumblings during their journey through the desert. The Jews grumbled that there was “neither bread nor water here, and our souls,” they said, “were disgusted with this junk food"(Num. 21:5).
“Wretched food,” by the way, was called manna, the food about which it is said “he gave them the bread of the angels to eat.” Aversion from manna is what is best expressed by the words “the habit of grace.” This disease especially threatens the priesthood and the entire church clergy, that is, those who literally live in the temple of God. However, other Christians are not spared from the threat of this disease.
In response to this attitude people's heart to Himself and His gifts “the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, which bit the people, and a great multitude of the children of Israel died” (Num. 21:6).
The Jews, punished in this way, began to ask Moses for protection and help, and in response to Moses’ prayer, the Lord commanded to make the same serpent that Christ remembered in his conversation with Nicodemus.
This snake was made of copper. There was a command about him: “Put him on the banner, and if a snake bites any person, the one who is bitten, looking at him, will remain alive” (Num. 21:8).
But what do you and I care about that? And is there a bridge thrown from hoary antiquity to today so that we can cross it back and forth?
There is such a bridge, and there are benefits from such readings. speaks of the wandering sons of Israel and all the events of the wandering, that “all these things happened to them as images; but it is described for instruction to us who have reached last centuries"(1 Cor. 10:11).
The person bitten by the serpent is me and you, brother and sister in Christ. It is not another snake that bites us, but the same one that deceived the foremother in Paradise. After the deception, he gained some power over man and is especially angry with those who make a journey to the land of promised bliss, to the Kingdom of God.
The very history of the journey, starting from the Exodus and until the very entry into the land flowing with milk and honey, is a figurative narrative about the salvation of an individual soul and the entire Church. This is a story about the obstacles encountered along the way, about punishments for the unfaithful, and about the amazing perseverance of some of God’s chosen ones.
Who among us has not felt the fire of sin spreading through our veins?
Who among us does not know that sin does not exactly hit, but stings a person, on the sly and secretly, in order to more accurately kill him?
Who doesn’t have the intelligence to understand that someone who has been stung must act quickly and wisely, otherwise he will die?
And so we travel and feel that the snake bites us painfully and unexpectedly. Where is the medicine? Here it is. “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”(John 3:14). The Jews looked at the image of a serpent, but we look at the image of Jesus Christ crucified for us under Pontius Pilate. Crucified, buried, and raised again on the third day, according to the Scriptures.
On these days, the Cross is often presented to the gaze of believers precisely because the snake bites become noticeable and especially painful. Look, Christian, at your crucified Lord and heal your heart from the poison that is in you.
The poet said this about this looking at and falling to the Cross:
Come with hot tears
Embrace the foot of the cross
You will make peace with heaven
With yourself and with people. (I. Nikitin)
These verses are addressed to a child who is learning to pray without yet knowing the power of sin. “Pray, Child” is the title of the poem. And an adult warns the child in advance about what will need to be done if sin deceives and seduces the matured soul over time. But we, who have long matured and have been deceived by sin many times, see for ourselves in these words a lesson and a call.
It remains only to understand why the serpent, a creature overloaded with a negative attitude and meaning, is connected here with the Lord. One of the fathers says on this matter that just as a copper snake is similar to a real one, but has no poison in itself, so Christ was in everything like an ordinary person, but had no sin in Himself.
In addition, it is common for Scripture to use the same name, depending on the context, to designate the concepts of saints and sinners.
So Peter the Apostle says about the devil that he walks “like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). And he speaks of the lion, connecting his image with the Lord: “Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome, and is able to open this book and open its seven seals” (Rev. 5:5). Both there and there - a lion, but in opposite meanings.
Therefore, let our hearts not be troubled about anything, but when we come to the temple of God and see before us the image of the Redeemer nailed to the cross, let us look at Him with faith. From this glance we who were stung will remain alive in Christ Jesus. For this purpose He came, that people might “have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
Fennec fox – small mammal from the family of foxes. The size resembles a domestic cat, it has the largest ears among predators, which can reach a length of 15 cm with a body length of 35-40 cm. The fennec cat needs such ears for thermoregulation of the body, as well as for tracking prey. An interesting fact is that in addition to the body, they are also covered with hair. This allows her to move almost silently. Fenechs usually live in a group of 5-10 individuals, in dug underground burrows. These foxes are omnivores, feeding on small lizards, insects, roots and bird eggs.
The jerboa is a small animal from the order of rodents. Lives in the north of the Sahara, is able to withstand extreme weather. It has great jumping ability and speed. With a body length of up to 25 cm, it can reach a speed of 25 km/h. It is nocturnal and lives in deep burrows. It feeds on seeds, insects and roots. The jerboa can do without water; it gets it from the food it eats.
Snakes and arthropods of the Sahara
The horned viper is a poisonous snake up to one meter in length. Above her eyes there is one sharp, vertical growth. This snake inhabits the entire desert area. During the day in burrows, and in the evening it crawls out of the shelter to hunt. It feeds on birds and rodents.
Efa is a small, up to 60 cm in length, poisonous snake from the viper family. Lives in burrows in Northern Sahara. It feeds on birds, rodents and lizards. Considered one of the most aggressive snakes on the planet. Epha's venom causes severe bleeding, both at the site of the bite and from the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and eyes.
Yellow is a small arthropod that lives throughout the Sahara. Lives in burrows or buries itself in the sand. It feeds on insects and arachnids. Kills the victim with a poisonous sting located at the tip of the tail.
Birds of the Sahara Desert
The African ostrich is a large flightless ostrich, considered one of the fastest animals on the planet. Can reach speeds of up to 70 km/h. A very hardy animal, it can move long distances, has excellent eyesight and hearing, and fights off predators with powerful legs. Lives in a group of up to 50 individuals. It feeds on fruits, roots, lizards and small animals.
The desert raven is a small bird, up to 55 cm long. Lives in the northern part of the Sahara. It nests on lonely trees or the tops of dunes. It feeds on carrion and waste left over from passing caravans.