Deserts are among the most inhospitable environments for animal life.
The blistering daylight hours do not see much activity, but a few animals like lizards move at high speed across the burning sand in pursuit of insects. With nightfall, the desert comes alive. Large spiders, centipedes and scorpions crawl out from holes or from under stones. Many species of rats and mice are adapted to desert life. They include the grasshopper mice and kangaroo rats of American deserts and the spiny mice, gerbils and jerboas of Africa.