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A mammal's first strategy against the arid desert they live in is avoidance. So basically, most mammals simply avoid the high daytime temperatures by being nocturnal(sleeps underground during the day, and dwells in the night) For Example: Ring-tails and Kangaroo Rats are strictly nocturnal. Some are crepuscular or they are only active during the dusk and dawn of a day when there is still light, but little heat. For Example: Ring-tails and Kangaroo Rats are strictly nocturnal. Also, the coyote was given the advantages of shedding its winter coat and being able to pant, which moves air over the moist surface of the coyote's mouth and throat, thus evaporating water and cooling the coyote. While a jackrabbit emits heat from its body just by having long dish-like ears.

In the dry and scorching hot desert, mammals have had to adapt to the lack of water. One way some have adapted is by producing their own water within their body. Another is done by eating juicy animals, succulent plants, and the fruit found on them.

However, if a human is in the desert, we evaporate water but sweat so much we lose too much water, about 12 liters or 3 gallons a day. Us humans have a special way of keeping our brains cool, the blood on the outside of heads is cooled and then tiny veins take them down to the brain to keep the blood inside cool. Also, since we are bipeds(walk on 2 feet), only the top of our head and shoulders are hit by the sun's rays when it is the hottest time of the day, and it keeps us from being close to the ground which radiates heat as well. Another plus to being a biped is that we are cooled by wind that very few desert animals experience, thus assisting in sweat evaporation. Not having fur is also an advantage of humans, our skin doesn't insulate heat, at least not nearly as well as fur does, and evaporation of sweat comes even easier for us. Although, our head hair protects us more than anything, specifically from the deadly rays of the sun trying to penetrate our brain and cause heat exhaustion, and thus death.

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Q: What kinds of adaptations might a desert mammal have?
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