▁water ▁ret ention ▁in ▁habit ats ▁such ▁as ▁desert ▁e cos ystem s ▁which ▁are ▁commonly ▁affected ▁by ▁dr ought . ▁In ▁environments ▁where ▁the ▁external ▁temperature ▁is ▁less ▁than ▁their ▁body ▁temperature , ▁most ▁end oth erm s ▁are ▁able ▁to ▁balance ▁heat ▁production ▁and ▁heat ▁loss ▁to ▁maintain ▁a ▁comfortable ▁temperature . ▁However , ▁in ▁desert s ▁where ▁air ▁and ▁ground ▁temper atures ▁exceed ▁body ▁temperature , ▁end oth erm s ▁must ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁diss ip ate ▁the ▁large ▁amounts ▁of ▁heat ▁being ▁absor bed ▁in ▁these ▁environments . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁co pe ▁with ▁extreme ▁conditions , ▁desert ▁end oth erm s ▁have ▁adapted ▁through ▁the ▁means ▁of ▁avoid ance , ▁relax ation ▁of ▁home ost asis , ▁and ▁special izations . ▁No ct urn al ▁desert ▁rod ents , ▁like ▁the ▁k ang ar oo ▁rat , ▁will ▁spend ▁the ▁day time ▁in ▁cool ▁bur rows ▁deep ▁under ground , ▁and ▁emer ge ▁at ▁night ▁to ▁seek ▁food . ▁Bird s ▁are ▁much ▁more ▁mobile ▁than ▁ground - d well ing ▁end oth erm s , ▁and ▁can ▁therefore ▁avoid ▁heat - indu ced ▁de h yd r ation ▁by ▁flying ▁between ▁water ▁sources . ▁To ▁prevent ▁over he ating , ▁the ▁body ▁temper atures ▁of ▁many ▁desert ▁m amm als ▁have ▁adapted ▁to ▁be ▁much ▁higher ▁than ▁non - des ert ▁m amm als . ▁Cam els , ▁for ▁example , ▁can ▁maintain ▁body ▁temper atures ▁that ▁are ▁about ▁equal ▁to ▁typical ▁desert ▁air ▁temper atures .