Sparrow: Whew! It is so hot here!
Sparrow: I have been flying over this desert all day.
Sparrow: I need to find a cool place to rest.
Sparrow: Look, there's a hole in the ground. I'll rest there.
Mouse: Who are you?
Sparrow: Oh, I'm sorry. I am a sparrow.
Sparrow: This desert is so dry and hot that I did not expect [n3@to see any animals living here!
Mouse: I am a desert mouse, and there are a lot of animals here.
Sparrow: Really?
Mouse: Yes. The days are very hot and dry, but the nights are cold.
Mouse: So most desert animals do not move around during the day.
Sparrow: But how do they endure so much heat?
Sparrow: It is so hot that I am about to die!
Mouse: Well, some desert animals use parts of their bodies to cool off.
Mouse: For example, desert owls open their mouths [n3@wide and flutter their throats.
Mouse: The jackrabbit's ears are long and have many blood vessels.
Mouse: The heat is released through the blood vessels in its long ears.
Sparrow: Oh, that's interesting!
Sparrow: Up north, I have seen other rabbits, and [n3@their ears are much shorter.
Mouse: Yes, up north, they do not need long ears to survive.
Mouse: All over the world, animals are suited to their different habitats.
Mouse: For example, most desert animals are light-colored.
Mouse: Their lighter colors keep them from getting really hot too.
Sparrow: Then what about the darker animals?
Sparrow: They would get much hotter than light-colored animals. Right?
Mouse: You are right. Vultures are dark-colored, but they [n3@wet their legs with their urine.
Mouse: The urine cools the blood in their legs.
Mouse: The cooler blood goes back through their bodies.
Sparrow: I see. They are really amazing!
Sparrow: Then how do desert animals find water?
Sparrow: You do need water, don't you?
Mouse: Of course! We desert creatures get water from plants.
Mouse: The juicy cactus is a favorite! Have a piece!
Sparrow: But won't I get stuck by the thorns?
Mouse: Not really. Go ahead, just be careful.
Sparrow: Hmm, not bad! By the way, how do you stay cool in this desert?
Mouse: I live in an underground den like this.
Mouse: I close the opening when it is very hot.
That keeps out the heat.
Mouse: Then I can save the moisture from my breath.
Sparrow: Wonderful! Desert animals are really amazing.
Sparrow: But I might not survive here.
Mouse: That's true. The desert gets very little rain.
Mouse: It gets less than 25 centimeters of rain a year!
Mouse: So all the animals in the desert have special [n3@ways to help them survive.
Mouse: But you have wings.
Mouse: You can fly to a place where you will survive well.
Sparrow: Yes, you are right!
I have to leave now.
Sparrow: Thank you for telling me about desert animals. Good-bye!
Mouse: My pleasure! Good-bye!