English Question and Answer (unit) [2-M]

Generally people believe that camels store water in their humps, but it is not true Humps help the animal to survive in the desert by acting as storage containers. They are full of fat and this fat nourishes the camels when food is scarce

Camels have long, shaggy winter coats to keep warm and shorter, tidler coats in summer to keep cool. Normally the camel. when thirsty gets all the moisture it needs from desert plants and can survive for up to ten months without drinking any water at all.

All the female mongooses have their kitten at about the same time. They are raised by the whole group in à den made inside an old termite mount or hollow log When most of the adults are out looking for food, one or two males stay behind to stand guard until the others return for the night.

A mongoose, while fighting with a snake, kills the snake without getting hurt himself Then reactions are so fast that they can dodge each time the snake strikes. They continually make a nuisance of themselves until after a while, when the snake gets tired they quickly dive to for the kill and rearing of the young ones of mongooses.

Mongoose like to hunt together. They always keep a lookout for dangerous predators nearby. They travel in groups of about twenty to forage for beetles, millipedes and other small creatures. While on hunting, they keep in touch whenever they go out for sight behind rocks or bushes by twittering and calling. They warn one another with a special alarm-call if they spot anything suspicious.

Rattlesnakes feed on a variety of prey. including mice, voles, rats, chipmunks and many other small animals. They kill their prey with venom. Like all snakes, they swallow the animals whole.

Rattlesnakes also hear things through vibrations in the ground like most snakes.

Rattlers have a bad reputation because they prefer to avoid people possibly if they can. The rattlesnake holds its tall upright and rattles the end whenever it is disturbed, in the hope that the intruder will go away. However, if its warnings are ignored and it feels threatened, it will coll ready to bite.

Rattlesnakes or Rattlers are very common and widespread animals, living right across the American continent from Canada to Argentina.

All the deserts are not endless seas of rolling sand dunes. Some are rocky or pebbly and dotted with small bushes, while others are sprinkled with colourful flowers during the spring.

Desert animals have to go without water for many days. They have to walk/work for long periods in the scorching sun. They have to face all the adversities of nature in desert.