There is a vast range of animals here in the Turkestan Desert. From a small burrowing animal like the Gerbil to the beautiful Gazelle.
Keep scrolling to find out more about these and many other incredible animals.
Keep scrolling to find out more about these and many other incredible animals.
GERBIL
Gerbilliane
Gerbils have sharp claws which they use to burrow their way into the sandy grounds of the desert. They are also able to use these underground burrows to get away from danger by quickly disappearing under the sand.
These tunnels are well known to be very intricate with lots of tunnels.
In these burrows is where they stay only coming up when they need food and/or water.
Unlike when gerbils are breed as common house pets and are nocturnal, in the wildlife they are diurnal meaning that they sleep at night and get up in the early morning to gather food.
GAZELLE
Gazella
The gazelle is from the antelope family and its name comes from the Persian word Ghazal which means, "elegant and beautiful."
They are incredible runners and can run at short bursts up to 97 km/hr or 60 mph/hr, but they can also run for longer periods of time at speeds up to 48 km/hr or 30 mph/hr.
Gazelles are rather small antelopes, most standing 2–3.5 ft 61–107 cm or 2–3.5 ft high at the shoulder, and are generally fawn-colored.
They tend to live in herds and will eat less coarse, easily digestible plants and leaves.
DESERT TORTUOUS
Gopherus agassizii
They eat a healthy diet full of greens. The typical tortoise diet consists of grasses, wildflowers, cactus pads, and wild fruit. Occasionally a tortoise will eat bone material scavenged from mammal scat as a means of obtaining calcium.
Its stumpy, elephantine legs end in sharp claws, which are adapted to walking in sand and to digging dens or burrows used for both hibernation and estivation (summer "hibernation"). Tortoises construct dens up to 30 feet in length-in general, summer burrows are shallower and shorter.
Because they are cold-blooded, tortoises are not able to regulate their body temperature internally. Burrowing prevents from the effects of the desert's temperature and moisture extremes, and protects animals from predators.
Desert tortoises also dig depressions in the earth to catch rainwater. They are able to store water in their urinary bladder and significantly increase their body weight when tanking up after a good rainstorm.
SAIGA ANTELOPE
Saiga Tatarica
Their big noses filter the air making it warmer or colder depending on the time day.
In general the saiga resembles a large sheep sheep.
An odd characteristic that they have is holding their head horizontally. When running, the saiga holds their head even lower and begins to resemble a goat.
The saiga's reddish tones provide camouflage in its desert (and semi-desert) habitats. In winter the saiga grows a new coat of long, white, wavy hair, almost three times longer and thicker than its summer coat. This insulation is so effective that the saiga is not afraid of snow and digs down to the earth below in search of food