Australia's vast, arid landscapes may seem inhospitable at first glance, but they are home to a remarkable array of mammals uniquely adapted to survive some of the harshest conditions on Earth.
From the red sands of the deserts to the rocky outcrops of the gibber plains, native animals have evolved specialised traits to cope with extreme heat, scarce water, and limited food sources.
Every aspect of their biology is shaped by the challenges of arid living – from their size and body structure to their diet, behaviour, and breeding strategies – allowing them to thrive in environments where food is scarce, and competition is fierce.
Staying cool and conserving energy
Many desert mammals are small-bodied, which helps them conserve energy and avoid excessive heat retention. Smaller animals have a higher surface-area-to-volume ratio, allowing them to release body heat more efficiently and enabling them to remain active even in hot conditions.
Larger desert mammals, like kangaroos, have developed other ways to cope with extreme temperatures. Kangaroos use their long limbs and large ears to dissipate heat and lick their forearms to promote evaporative cooling. Similarly, the Bilby has large ears that act like radiators, helping it regulate body temperature.
Brad Leue/AWC Water-free feasting
Adapting their diets to rely on moisture-rich food sources allow desert mammals to survive with little or no drinking water. Many are carnivorous or insectivorous, consuming prey that provides all the hydration they need.
Some species, like marsupial moles, eat insects, small vertebrates, and carrion and extract moisture from their prey. Others, like mulgaras, are obligate carnivores, meaning they primarily consume animal-based food which is rich in both nutrients and water.
Herbivorous desert mammals, like the Spinifex Hopping Mouse, eat seeds, roots, and succulent plants that store water, or from which they can extract water in the digestive process, which - together with behavioural and physiological adaptations – allows them to survive without drinking. Some desert mammals also practice coprophagy (re-eating their faeces) to extract every possible nutrient from their food, ensuring nothing goes to waste.
Avoiding the heat
One of the most common survival strategies for desert mammals is behavioural adaptation-changing activity patterns to minimise heat exposure and water loss.
Many desert mammals are nocturnal, resting in burrows during the day and emerging at night when temperatures are cooler. Burrows provide a stable, cooler microclimate that protects them from the extreme temperatures.
Some mammals can enter a state of torpor, temporarily slowing their metabolism to conserve energy and water and survive food shortages.
Brad Leue/AWC Family planning
In an environment where resources are unpredictable, desert mammals must time their breeding cycles carefully. Many species have developed strategies to ensure their young have the best chance of survival.
Some species only breed after heavy rainfall, when food and water are more abundant, while others can enter a state of embryonic diapause; halting development until environmental conditions are favourable, ensuring that young are born when survival is most likely.
Small desert marsupials also have short gestation periods and rapidly maturing young, allowing them to reproduce quickly when conditions improve.
Learn about some of the desert species protected on Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) sanctuaries and partnership areas below.
