The Nubian is the only species of ibex that is capable of living in hot, arid climates such as the desert. The ibex is a species of wild mountain goat, recognizable by its incredibly long antlers that twist backwards. Although native to the desert, nearly all of Israel’s camels are domesticated, owned by Bedouins in the desert. While many tourists to Israel imagine two-humped, sand-colored camels roam around freely across the country, this is actually not the case. The Bactrian camel is found in Central Asia, but is labeled as “critically endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. There are two types of camels – the dromedary, which has one hump, and the Bactrian, which has two. So, what are some animals that live in the desert of Israel? Below we explore common desert animal species.įive Desert Animals Found in the Negev Camels These adaptations have developed over hundreds of years, and camels are not the only desert inhabitants that are well-adapted to these conditions. When they are in need of energy, they digest this fat and their humps become smaller and soft. Camels are able to store water and food as fat in their humps. In desert habitats, there is little water and resources, which is why camels come to mind when it comes to common desert animals. Along with the peace and quiet of the desert oasis, however, are some of the most unique species of wildlife in the country. It’s a hiker’s paradise and a photographer’s dream. There is just simply something magical about the massive sand dunes, sporadically sprinkled lines of green palm trees and the dry heat. Nevertheless, wild dogs and dingoes can sometimes attack young camels.Ah, the Israeli desert.

However, domesticated individuals can become prey for lions, hyenas, and leopards.įeral dromedaries in Australia are the only ones that have no natural predators. Snow leopards mostly target domesticated young animals.ĭromedary camels are extinct in the wild. In their natural habitat, wild Bactrian camels are mostly prayed by wolves. There are few predators that target such large mammals. SummaryĪll camels are large animals that can grow over seven feet tall and weigh over 1,500 pounds. However, starved dingoes and wild dogs could sometimes target calves. Today, the country has the largest – and only – population of feral dromedaries in the world, counting over 1 million individuals.Īccording to the Australian government, feral camels have no known predators. Camel Predators in AustraliaĪlthough dromedary camels are considered domesticated animals, they were introduced as a feral species in Australia in 1840. Scientists believe that wolf predation on camel calves represents one of the reasons why wild Bactrian camels are listed as critically endangered species, and this concern even triggered wolf control measures in the Gobi region in the past. Once again, because of the size of adult camels, wolves mostly target calves. The reason is likely linked to the wolves’ social structure – these mammals live and hunt in packs, so they can easily take down a large animal. Wolves are the main predators of wild Bactrian camels. Like lions and leopards, they usually choose calves or young adults that are easier to kill. They do, however, go after domesticated camels.

See also Why Do Rams Headbutt? įor this reason, snow leopards don’t usually go after wild Bactrian camels. However, like most big cats, snow leopards are solitary animals, and they might find it difficult to take down a camel that grows over seven feet tall and weighs over 1,800 pounds. The top predator in the area is the snow leopard, a wild cat that can grow up to 4.25 feet and 165 pounds. However, they are mostly concentrated around the Gobi Desert.

Their geographic range spans from Afghanistan to China, occupying all of Central Asia. While dromedary camels are extinct in the wild, Bactrian camels (that have two rather than one humps) exist as both domesticated and wild animals. Bactrian Camel Predators Photo: Dusya Kan / Shutterstock Lions aside, researchers found that dromedary camels are also predated by leopards and hyenas.Įlephants are also known to kill camels, even though these occurrences are most likely accidental (elephants are herbivores, and they don’t eat meat). Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Rare and Unique incident 7 Asiatic lion group a camel hunting in kariya village near gir forest ()

Desert prey animals