Deserts are areas that receive very little precipitation. Most experts agree that a desert is an area of land that receives no more than 25 centimeters (10 inches) of precipitation a year. The amount of evaporation in a desert often greatly exceeds the annual rainfall.

In geography, a desert is a landscape form or region that receives very little precipitation. Generally deserts are defined as areas that receive an average annual precipitation of less than 250 mm (10 inches).

Biomes of the World

The Tundra and Desert receive the least amount of precipitation. The Taiga is the world’s largest biome and has evergreen conifer trees such as spruce and fir.

Tropical rainforests have wet months in which there can be more than 30 cm (11–12 in) of precipitation, as well as dry months in which there are fewer than 10 cm (3.5 in) of rainfall. However, the driest month of a tropical rainforest can still exceed the annual rainfall of some other biomes, such as deserts.

TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FOREST AND SAVANNAH: thorny forest, woodlands, or scattered trees, many of which loose leaves during the dry season. Typical plants include acacias and grasses. Typical animals include giraffes and elephants.

Lions are the main predators of giraffes. They attack both giraffe calves and adults. More than half of giraffe calves never reach adulthood and lion predation may be the leading cause of death. Lions hunt subadult and adult giraffes also, although people rarely see these attacks.

Among the grazers are the zebra, Cape buffalo and all of the many species of antelope. Loftiest among the browsers is the giraffe, followed by the gerenuk, which sometimes is called the “giraffe gazelle” because of its long, elegant neck. Elephants eat grass and leaves, along with tree bark.

“They stay in the same barn at night across from each other, and they enter the exhibit the same way. I saw elephants 20 feet away from giraffes, but the staff says they get even closer.” Mingling the animals must be done gradually because of the size, strength and personality of the elephants, Kramer said.

Megaherbivores are more concerned about eating as much food as possible while expending the minimum amount of effort, than about avoiding potential predators. Elephants may consume as much as 600 pounds of vegetation in a day; giraffes, about 75.

SAN ANTONIO – Zebras and giraffes now live together at the San Antonio Zoo. “These are two animals that you find together in the wild, out in the open savanna,” said senior animal care specialist Melannie Lough. For the most part, Lough said the animals get along.

Oxpeckers are birds that land on elephants, where they eat lice, ticks, and other parasites living on elephants’ skin and hair. This symbiotic relationship benefits the elephant by removing irritating pests that can spread disease, and the oxpecker also benefits by getting an easy meal.

10. On what animals does the oxpecker feed? Oxpeckers feed on large mammals like rhinos, zebras, hippos, cape buffalo, elephants, giraffes and wildebeests.

Probably the most blood-dependent bird is a subspecies of Sharp-beaked Ground-Finch, which is found on two of the Galápagos Islands. Not only do oxpeckers obtain blood indirectly via ticks, but they’re known to peck at wounds and feed on blood and tissue, apparently keeping the wounds open for this purpose.

But the rhinos may have an unlikely ally against poachers: the red-billed oxpecker. The chatty, sociable birds often hang out on the backs of rhinos, feasting on parasitic ticks. “And actually, research has shown that the tick is the favorite diet of an oxpecker. And if they feed on ticks, that is a good thing.”

One example of a mutualistic relationship is that of the oxpecker (a kind of bird) and the rhinoceros or zebra. Oxpeckers land on rhinos or zebras and eat ticks and other parasites that live on their skin. The oxpeckers get food and the beasts get pest control.

In the Real World Tickbirds inhabit the savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa. Being rather gregarious birds, they live in flocks. They are usually tolerated by mammals because they eat the ticks and insects off of them, but they will also peck at the animal’s wounds for blood.

Oxpecker birds

The oxpeckers are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, where they occur in most open habitats. They are absent from the driest deserts and the rainforests. Their distribution is restricted by the presence of their preferred prey, specific species of ticks, and the animal hosts of those ticks.

Egret, any member of several species of herons (family Ardeidae, order Ciconiiformes), especially members of the genus Egretta. Most egrets have white plumage and develop long ornamental nuptial plumes for the breeding season.

Birds that eat ticks do include chickens, guinea fowl and turkeys. While these birds are often promoted as an effective method for tick control, research has shown that their consumption of ticks is minimal.

Ticks hate the smell of lemon, orange, cinnamon, lavender, peppermint, and rose geranium so they’ll avoid latching on to anything that smells of those items.

Rubbing alcohol or classic amber-colored Listerine mouthwash will instantly kill the tick.

Plants that help deter ticks:

• Lavender.
• Garlic.
• Pennyroyal.
• Pyrethrum (type of chrysanthemum)
• Sage.
• Beautyberry.
• Eucalyptus.
• Mint.

So What Instantly Kills Ticks?

• Rubbing Alcohol. Nothing does the job quite like rubbing alcohol.
• Eucalyptus Oil. Not only is eucalyptus oil a tick killer, but it also makes for an effective repellent as well, and it’s naturally safe and effective on the body.
• Bleach. There’s no question that bleach is a powerful thing.

Some ticks will also pick up some other scents, for example, ammonia. When you are peeing in the woods, you are going to attract a lot of ticks for coming to you. The ammonia will also come from your sweat. Therefore, ticks will be able to find you as their prey immediately after you enter their areas.

5 Best Tick Repellents and Sprays for Humans

• Nantucket Spider Tick Repelling Spray (Our Top Pick)
• Natrapel 12-Hour Tick Spray (Our Second Choice)
• REPEL Sportsman Max Insect Repellent.
• Wondercide Insect Repellent.
• Ben’s 100% DEET Tick Repellent.

Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone.

To help protect yourself and your family, you should:

1. Use a chemical repellent with DEET, permethrin or picaridin.
2. Wear light-colored protective clothing.
3. Tuck pant legs into socks.
4. Avoid tick-infested areas.
5. Check yourself, your children, and your pets daily for ticks and carefully remove any ticks.