Animal Species
The Bilby:
The Bilby, also known as the Rabbit-Eared Bandicoot, are grey, mouse looking creatures that have well developed claws, a long pointed nose, and have very large ears similar to a rabbit. They are related to the bandicoot, being the largest (growing up to 55 inches) however they are endangered, only having small populations living in sections of some of the deserts of Australia. They have poor eyesight, relying on their great senses of smell and hearing. They are excellent at digging burrows and they create underground tunnel systems to shelter themselves from predators and the dessert. These burrows can be one to two metres below ground and are a great protection from the heat and dehydration. The Bilby is nocturnal, hiding in these burrows during the day and searches for food at night. One adaptation that these creatures have is that they are very efficient in conserving water, so much so, that they don't need to drink. They receive their water from their food (like a koala), which lives underground close to these burrows. These creatures are omnivores, eating seeds, bulbs, fungi, spiders, worms, and insects.
The Bilby, also known as the Rabbit-Eared Bandicoot, are grey, mouse looking creatures that have well developed claws, a long pointed nose, and have very large ears similar to a rabbit. They are related to the bandicoot, being the largest (growing up to 55 inches) however they are endangered, only having small populations living in sections of some of the deserts of Australia. They have poor eyesight, relying on their great senses of smell and hearing. They are excellent at digging burrows and they create underground tunnel systems to shelter themselves from predators and the dessert. These burrows can be one to two metres below ground and are a great protection from the heat and dehydration. The Bilby is nocturnal, hiding in these burrows during the day and searches for food at night. One adaptation that these creatures have is that they are very efficient in conserving water, so much so, that they don't need to drink. They receive their water from their food (like a koala), which lives underground close to these burrows. These creatures are omnivores, eating seeds, bulbs, fungi, spiders, worms, and insects.
The Red Kangaroo:The Red Kangaroo, which is most famous of the kangaroo species, is also the largest. They have short red fur, along with two skinny arms with small claws and the end of its hands, two muscular legs used for jumping, and a strong tail which is often used for stability when standing upright. An adaption that the Red Kangaroo has, which is very well known, is its ability to hop. Hopping acts as a fast and very efficient way to travel. Its legs act as an elastic band as the kangaroo comes down, than releasing to throw the animal forward. They can travel up to speeds of 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour and can cover 25 feet (8 meters) in one leap. The Kangaroo gained this adaption because Red Kangaroos need to cover large distances to find enough food in the desert. The Red Kangaroo primarily eats vegetation like grasses however these animals will also chenopods (a species of plant) and shrubs when it gets despite for food. They are also nocturnal, resting in shade for most of the day. They usually stay close to their home-range when searching for food however they will travel up to 30 km for food when their living area has not received enough rain for a period of time. Kangaroos can also bite very hard and they have very sharp claws, which they may use these tools when defending itself against a predator (like a dingo).
The Bearded Dragon:The Bearded Dragon is a species of lizard that has triangle shaped heads and flat bodies with pointed scales arranged all over its back. These scales are used to scare off predators or mates, however they are not sharp. An adaption they have is that they have an underside (a beard made up of skin) on its throat that turns black and expands if they are threatened. They are very good climbers, spending a lot of their time on branches and in bushes. Bearded dragons can grow up to 20 to 24 inches long. Bearded dragons can produce a mild venom which are generally harmless to humans, though it is effective against smaller-sized animals. Bearded dragons are omnivorous lizards which eats vegetation like fruit and leaves in the wild, as well as insects (like ants, beetles) and small animals (like other lizards) that they can catch. These animals like lay in the sun until they have reached a preferred body temperature however when its body temperature exceeds and reaches dangerously high levels, it will open its mouth to cool down the blood passing through its head from the membranes of its mouth. When threatened, it will open its mouth wide and expand its beard to make its jaw appear larger. The lizard will inhale air rapidly to expand its body, causing the spikes on its back to appear sharp and rigid. Pretty much these animals use mind tactics to fend off predators instead of attacking their predators head on for defence which is very interesting and unique to this animal.
The Dingo:The Dingo is a wild dog that can grow up to 26 inches tall, 61 inches long and can weigh between 13 and 19 kilograms (26-42 pounds). They have broad heads with pointed nose and pointed ears similar to a German Shepard. They also have large teeth that are found in most carnivorous animals. Something cool about them is that the color of their coat depends on their surroundings and where they live. They can either have a red, golden brown, black or creamy white coat which depends on where they live. The Dingo is classified as a carnivore however it can survive without meat so it is technically an omnivore. They mostly prey on rats, rabbits, kangaroos, and some plants that are found in the desert. An adaptation they have, which is very interesting, is that instead of barking, they howl. Dingoes have three basic forms of howling with at least 10 variations. Usually, three kinds of howls are distinguished when listening to these very interesting animals. As far as we know, a lot of their howls are used so they can communicate with each other, attracting pack members and repelling rivals. Dingoes are mostly nocturnal, searching for food in the morning and in the evening. They are not usually seen in groups but they will sometimes form packs when migrating or hunting a larger prey.
The Thorny Devil:The Thorny Devil, is a species of lizard that has sharp ridged scales all over its body. The thorny devil usually grows up to 8 inches in length, and can live up to 20 years of age. These lizards are coloured in brown camouflage which change color depending on temperature and weather. This species of lizard has a few cool interesting that it gained which are very interesting. One of them, is its ability to collect water from any part of its body by using its scales to move the water to its mouth. Because of this, when they need to drink water, they only need to touch the water with their limbs, and the water is transferred to the mouth through their skin. Another adaptation that they received is again its ability to use its scales. The thorny devil has sharp spines that can discourage attacks by predators by making it difficult to swallow. And lastly, It also has a false head on the back of its neck. Whenever this lizard feels threatened by predators or even other animals, it lowers its head between its legs, and then shows off its false head. The thorny devil is an omnivore mainly feeds on ants, and are able to eat thousands of them in a day. These lizards are some of the most interesting animals that you can find in the Great Sandy Desert and its unique adaptations combined with its scary looking body allows it to thrive in these environments.
Invasive Species
Over the past hundred years, some European settlers have brought over some non-native species to the environment of the desert in Australia, in particular, the Great Sandy Desert. Firstly, Animals like Feral cats and certain species of Fox have made a direct influence on the native wildlife that they now prey on. Feral Cats especially have been linked to the decline of certain animals most notably on small mammals (the Bilby for example). They have also made it difficult to reintroduce these animals back into this environment because they hunt and kill the newly released animals. Secondly, Animals like rabbits and camels have also been introduced to the deserts of Australia and they have been affecting the native vegetation and competition over this food. The rabbit has especially affected the environment and the animal the most, competing with other small mammals for food, destroying landscapes, ring-barking (to cut through the bark all the way around a tree) and killing young trees/plants, and contributing to erosion. There has however been many projects to help repair this environment and the animals that live in it, by reintroducing endangered animals, and raising awareness to stop introducing species to new environments.
Predator / Prey Relationship
Then entire biome of animals relies on each other. If there is a shortage on the amount of prey there is in an environment than there will be less of that predator surviving to eat. One example of a predator and prey relationship relating to the deserts of Australia are that of the Red Kangaroo and the Dingo. The Dingo is the apex predator in this biome and although their prey aren't usually kangaroos, sometimes, when food is scarce, they will try to hunt for them. However, both the Kangaroo, and the Dingo have evolved to defend against one another. Even though the Dingo is an apex predator, sometimes, the Kangaroo will fend off and actually defeat a dingo, killing it. The way this relationship works is that the strongest and the fastest Dingoes will survive to hunt for Kangaroos and the Fastest and the Strongest of the Kangaroos will survive to fend off these attacks. This relationship is very unique to this biome because it is not common where an apex predator can be fended off against its prey and this shows that how strong and powerful the Red Kangaroo can be.
Adaptations
The Great Sandy Desert comes with some interesting wildlife that have to deal with the harsh environment. Many of the animals had to adapt in order to survive, or to survive easier. One of these adaptions, which is a common one, is the ability for some animals to not need to drink water. Water is scarce in environments like the desert, and animals like the Bilby and the Koala are able to receive their water from the food they eat. They are able to conserve their water for a long time and because of this, they do not need to scavenge the desert in search of water. Another adaptation that is more individualized is for the Giant Red Kangaroo and its ability to hop. Kangaroos gained this adaption because they need to cover large distances to find enough food in the desert and and hopping is a fast and very energy-efficient way to travel. They are able to travel up to speeds of 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour and can cover 25 feet (8 meters) in one leap. And lastly, an interesting adaptation that an animal gained from living in the Great Sandy Desert is the Dingoes ability to communicating by howling. Dingoes have three basic forms of howling and usually, three kinds of howls are distinguished from them which are long and persistent, rising, and, short and abrupt. As far as we know, most of their howls are used so they can communicate with each other, attracting pack members and repelling rivals. The reason this is an adaptation is because they can be used to communicate long distances and they are very diverse so that there are many different ways these cool animals can communicate. These animals were forced to adapt to the desert and it is very interesting to see what has occurred for these animals to thrive in such a harsh environment.
Food Chain & Web
Species at Risk
The Bilby is a very interesting animal native only in the deserts of Australia. Over a number of years they have decreased in population and now they are at risk of extinction. Bilbies can live in a diverse range of habitats, eat a range of different foods, survive without drinking water, and they breed rapidly. There should be a lot more populations of bilbies in the Great Sandy Desert yet they are endangered. One of the reasons why there has been a decrease in the number of bilbies is due to invasive predators. Animals like foxes and feral cats have had the greatest effect on Bilby numbers and it is something that needs to be addressed. Another reason for this decrease in population is due to competition with other animals for food. The rabbit, which is another invasive species, is indirectly competing with the Bilby for the local food in the area. Although this species is going through a really tough time at the moment and is in serious danger, in the past decade, there have been national recovery plans to save them from extinction. These plans are said to include captive breeding, monitoring of their populations, and bringing bilbies to their original habitat.
Section by Patryk Kuffel