What's That Animal Over Thar??! Quiz

The dromedary camel is often called the "Ship of the Desert" because it has adapted specifically to the intense heat and sandy terrain of northwest India. An adult male typically weighs between 900 and 1,300 pounds (408 to 589 kg) and stands 7 feet (2.1 m) tall. It has a single hump that is actually a reservoir of fatty tissue that can metabolize into a source of energy and water.

To cope with the desert these camels have large, tough, padded feet that spread out when they step, preventing them from sinking into the soft dunes of the Thar. They also have two rows of extra-long lashes to protect their eyes from blowing sand. They have very tough mouths which allow them to graze on thorny shrubs most other animals ignore. Camels have a deep connection to the local communities and can often be seen adorned with beautiful necklaces and colorful saddles.

The nilgai, or "blue bull," is a sturdy, horse-like antelope that thrives in the scrub forests and grassy plains of the Thar. The males are easily identified by their unique blue-gray coats and a "beard" of stiff black hair hanging down from their throats. They are big animals with an adult male typically weighing between 300 to 600 pounds (136 to 272 kg) and standing about 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m) tall at the shoulder.

To survive the harsh desert climate, the nilgai is very water efficient and can go for days by simply absorbing moisture from the grass, seed, and fruit pods it eats. The antelope is also very fast and can run at speeds of 30 mph (48 kph) to escape enemies. Because its name includes the word "gai" (which means cow), many local communities consider them sacred and the animals can be seen wandering through villages and farms.

The Indian wild boar is a sturdy, powerful pig that thrives in the scrublands and agricultural fringes of the Thar. Its skin is covered in coarse, blackish-gray bristles with a line of longer hairs running down its spine. It is a fairly hefty animal with an adult male typically weighing between 150 to 200 pounds (70 to 90 kg) and standing about 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 m) tall at the shoulder.

The boars have an extremely tough snout made of tough, leathery cartilage. They use the snout to dig into the sandy soil to find succulent roots and fallen fruit that hold moisture. They are also surprisingly fast and can reach speeds of up to 25 mph (40 kph) when sensing danger. Because boars are highly sensitive and aggressive toward predators like leopards or feral dog packs, their loud "snorting" or "grunting" acts as a natural alarm system for villagers living on the edge of the Thar.

The blackbuck is a slender antelope that calls the Thar's open plains and salt pans its home. The male has a striking appearance, featuring a deep black to dark brown coat that contrasts sharply with a white underbelly and white eye rings. They are medium sized, with an adult male typically weighing between 75 to 100 pounds (34 to 45 kg) and standing about 2.5 to 3 feet (0.7 to 0.9 m) tall at the shoulder.

With predators on the wide open desert, the blackbuck relies on its extremely fast speed. They are among the fastest land animals in the world, capable of reaching sustained speeds of 50 mph (80 kph) to outrun those predators. In the Thar, the blackbuck holds a deeply sacred status, particularly among the Bishnoi community, who consider the protection of these animals a religious duty and share their village and watering spots.

The Indian gazelle, or chinkara, is a small, thin antelope that lives in the deep desert areas of the Thar. It has a light, reddish-brown coat that blends with the golden sands and dried grasses. An adult typically weighs between 50 to 55 pounds (23 to 25 kg) and stands about 2 to 2.1 feet (0.6 to 0.65 m) tall at the shoulder. While both males and females have horns, the male's are curved like an "S" and are heavily ringed.

These animals can go for very long periods of time without drinking water as they have adapted to live on the dew and moisture found in the desert plants. When they run from predators, they also perform high, bouncing leaps to confuse those that are chasing them. With their big eyes and quiet nature, the local culture has folk songs where the chinkaras are a symbol of innocence and beauty.

The Indian desert wolf is a specialized subspecies of the gray wolf. This predator has a short, thin, and yellow-brown colored coat that helps it stay cool and aids it in blending into the shifting sands. Physically, they are much smaller and thinner than their European or American "cousins", with an adult typically weighing between 40 to 50 pounds (18 to 23 kg) and standing about 1.8 to 2.2 feet (0.55 to 0.67 m) tall at the shoulder.

It can travel vast distances-up to 20 miles (32 km) in a single night-searching for prey. They often rely on their incredible sense of smell and cooperative pack hunting to corner faster prey in the dunes. To aid with the heat of the day, their big ears act as heat radiators, helping to remove body warmth. Because of their elusive nature and night time howls, the locals call them the "ghosts of the dunes".

The great Indian bustard is a heavy, ground-dwelling bird that looks like a small ostrich. It does fly, however, in order to escape predators or to move to a different area of the desert. For a bird tht flies, it is fairly large. An adult male typically weighs between 24 to 35 pounds (11 to 16 kg) and stands about 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m) tall. The males are also easily identified by their sandy-brown bodies, a black cap on their heads, and a thick white neck.

Despite their size, their speckled brown feathers offer a great form of camouflage and they are almost invisible against the dry grasses of the Thar. To survive, they will eat everything from grass seeds and berries to beetles, grasshoppers, and even small snakes to get the nutrients they need. In the Thar, this bird is often called the "Son Chiriya" (Golden Bird) and is the state bird of Rajasthan. Because it is critically endangered, it has become a focal point of intense conservation efforts.

The Indian desert fox is a small, nocturnal hunter that lives in the Thar's numerous sand dunes. It has a pale, sandy-yellow coat that acts as a desert camouflage, along with a thick tail with a distinct white tip. On their head are oversized ears to dissipate heat and to listen for the tiny movements of rodents or lizards beneath the desert sand. They are light weight animals, with an adult male typically weighing only 5 to 10 pounds (2.3 to 4.5 kg) and standing about 1 foot (0.3 m) tall at the shoulder.

To survive the exteme heat of the day, the fox digs complex, multi-entrance burrows deep into the dunes, where the temperature stays constant even when the surface sand is scorching to the touch. They do not need much water to drink as they primarily receive fluid from their prey or from an occasional desert melon. The local communities call them "the spirits of the sand".

The Indian spiny-tailed lizard is a vegetarian reptile that lives on Thar's hard-packed clay flats. It has a stocky body covered in fine, smooth scales that range from earthy brown to a dull yellowish color. This coloration allows it to blend perfectly with the sun-baked ground. They also have a short, thick tail covered in hard, prickly spikes. An adult typically weighs between 0.3 to 0.9 pounds (150 to 400 g) and is about 15 inches (38 cm) in length.

It is active during the daytime and starts each morning basking outside of its burrow to jumpstart its metabolism before going to hunt for vegetation. When a predator approaches, the lizard dives into its burrow head-first and uses its thorny tail to block the entrance like a spiky door. Because it eats moisture-rich plants, it can survive for long periods without needing water. They are a protected species because they have historically been targeted by traditional healers who believed the oil stored in their tails had medicinal properties.

The Etruscan shrew is a tiny, furry animal that holds the title of one of the smallest mammals in the world. It has a smoky grey to a reddish-brown coloring and a slender, elongated snout and exceptionally small eyes. It is truly tiny with an adult typically weighing a mere 0.06 to 0.08 ounces (1.8 to 2.4 g)-about the weight of a single paperclip-and measuring only 1.4 to 2 inches (3.5 to 5 cm) in body length.

The shrew relies on a frantic, high-speed lifestyle because its tiny body loses heat rapidly. It has an incredibly high metabolism and must eat nearly twice its own body weight every day in insects, spiders, and larvae just to stay alive. Its heart beats up to 1,500 times per minute, allowing it to move lightning-fast to avoid predators. Seeing their presence lets the locals know that the insect population and soil health are in balance.