Chihuahuan Desert Facts for Kids

The Chihuahuan Desert is located in two countries: North America and Mexico. It is the largest desert in North America where it spans parts of the states of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Its presence in Mexico occurs across approximately half of the state of Chihuahua. Its total area across both countries is approximately  362.600 square kilometres (140.001 square miles).

Factsmania provide free printable facts about the Chihuahuan Desert to help children learn interesting information about deserts. Our fact sheets are free to use and are ideal for school kids and teachers. With key facts about the Chihuahuan Desert for kids including its wildlife species, mammals, birds, reptiles and insects, plants, vegetation, climate conditions, average temperatures, precipitation, formation, size and exact location of Mexico and North America's Chihuahuan desert biome.

Interesting Chihuahuan Desert Facts for Kids:- Our readymade Chihuahuan Desert facts sheet can be printed for free and provides an intesting guide for school teachers and kids about North America's largest desert which also occurs largely in Mexico. Did you know that the Chihuahuan Desert is home to North America's largest Prairie Dog colony, about 500 birds, and over 110 native freshwater fish species as well as hundreds of mammals, reptiles and insects? Did you know that the climate of the Chihuahuan Desert can often be described as cold and wet? Did you know that the term 'desertification' can be defined as the process by which fertile land becomes desert? Did you know that the plants and wildlife of the Chihuahuan Desert have adopted special survival techniques?

Interesting Chihuahuan Desert Facts for Kids:- Our free list of Interesting Chihuahuan Desert Biome Facts for Kids is easy to print and includes a summary and description of the Chihuahuan Desert as well as important facts about the desert's formation, age, weather conditions, precipitation, animal life, plants and temperature of the Chihuahuan Desert as well as why it is so important, why it is a biome and rich ecosystem, and how the food chain is structured in the Chihuahuan Desert.

Interesting Chihuahuan Desert Facts for Kids

Chihuahuan Desert Fact File for Kids:- Official Name Facts: The Chihuahuan Desert got its name from Chihuahua State in Mexico *** Location Facts: The Chihuahuan Desert occurs in Mexico and North America *** Size: The Chihuahuan Desert is approximately  362.600 square kilometres (140.001 square miles) *** Annual Rainfall Facts: 235 mm (9.3 in) average rainfall per year in the Chihuahuan Desert ***  Classification Facts: The Chihuahuan Desert is classed as a Rainshadow Desert ***

Interesting Facts for Kids 1:- Where is the Chihuahuan Desert located?
The Chihuahuan Desert is present in two countries, it is split between the United States of America and Mexico. The biome is bordered on the west by the Sierra Madre Occidental range and some parts from the Sierra Madre Oriental in the east. In the United States, it occupies southwestern Texas and small parts of Arizona and New Mexico. In Mexico, the Chihuahuan Desert biome takes up the northern half of the state of Chihuahua, a big part of Coahuila, parts of Durango, Zacatecas and Nuevo Leon.

Interesting Facts for Kids 2:- How big is the Chihuahuan Desert?
The Chihuahuan Desert is the largest desert in North America and the third from the Western Hemisphere. It covers about 362.600 square kilometres (140.001 square miles). The Chihuahuan Desert stretches around the US-Mexican border, taking up important parts from states like Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. In Mexico it occupies larges areas of Chihuahua state, Coahuila, small parts of Durango, Zacatecas and Nuevo Leon.

Interesting Facts for Kids 3:- What is the temperature in the Chihuahuan Desert?
The Chihuahuan Desert is considered a cold desert, with an average maximum temperature of 18.6 degrees Celsius. The warmest month typically occurs in June, when the maximum average temperature is 29.7 degrees Celsius. January is considered the coldest month of the year with an average temperature of just 10 degrees Celsius.

Interesting Facts for Kids 4:- What is the climate of the Chihuahuan Desert?
The Chihuahuan Desert can be described as a rain shadow desert. Because of the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental, the moisture brought from the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean is blocked. There is one rainy season, which is summer, and one more rainy month in December. The summer rains which occur in June and July are called monsoons, and they bring moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Temperatures can vary in the Chihuahuan Desert because of the altitude, and the lower grounds are typically hotter than the elevated ones. The climate during the winter is more severe in northern areas of teh Chihuahuan Desert than the southern regions.

Interesting Facts for Kids 5:- Chihuahuan Desert Rainfall
The Chihuahuan Desert receives an annual average precipitation of 235 mm (9.3 in) with a range of approximately 150-400 mm (6-16 in). These figures lead us to believe that the Chinuahuan Desert receives more precipitation than most other warm desert ecoregions. Almost two-thirds of the biome receives annual precipitation between 225 and 275 mm (8.9 and 10.8 in). Although the Chihuahuan Desert receives a good amount of water, most of it falls during the summer.

Interesting Facts for Kids 6:- What animals live in the Chihuahuan Desert?
The Chihuahuan Desert is home to many species of wildlife including more than 130 species of mammal including mule deer, pronghorn and kit fox, mountain lion, wolf, bobcat, white-tailed deer, antelope, ring-tailed cat, coyote, jackrabbit, roadrunners. The Chihuahuan Desert is home to North America's largest prairie dog colony, more than 500 bird species, and even more than 110 native freshwater fish species. The Chihuahuan Desert gives shelter to many different kinds of animals including reptiles such as Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Gopher Snake and Greater Earless Lizard.

Interesting Facts for Kids 7:-  How do Chihuahuan Desert animals survive?
Animals living in the Chihuahuan Desert have to make many adaptations in order to survive. Some of them burrow themselves in the ground for the hottest period and reappear once the rain starts to fall. Most of the animals adopt a crepuscular way of living, meaning that they are active during dusk and dawn, when temperatures are cooler. Another way that animals manage to survive in the Chihuahuan Desert is through pale color skin and fur. It is known that paler colors do not attract as much heat as dark colors. Another way that wildlife can preserve their body temperature and hydration is through sweating and panting. This is achieved through sweat glands that provide evaporative cooling during hot periods.

Interesting Facts for Kids 8:-  Chihuahuan Desert Mule Deer adaptations
A good example of desert survival is the mule-deer and one of their main advantages is migration. The mule deer leaves higher grounds during winter months in the Chihuahuan Desert because of snowstorms and fewer food supplies. During summer they are active during mornings, evenings and moonlit nights. When the temperature is very high, typically in the afternoon, they tend to rest in shady places.

Interesting Facts for Kids 11:- Chihuahuan Desert food chain facts
The Chihuahuan Desert food web is similar to many other desert food webs. Mainly, big mammals are at the top of the food chain and feed off smaller animals, which in turn feed on insects and plants. Another branch of the food chain is ruled by big birds such as eagles and owls. They eat small animals and insects.

Interesting Facts for Kids 12:- What plants grow in the Chihuahuan Desert at lower levels?
The Chihuahuan Desert vegetation changes depending on the altitude. The altitude plays a great role because of soil, temperature and rainfall change. In the lower levels, the creosote bush exists. It can grow alone or mixed with some other plants like ocotillo, lechuguilla, hedgehog cacti or tarbush. Lechuguilla and tarbush are drought-plants found growing in the northern parts of the Chihuahuan Desert.

Interesting Facts for Kids 13:- What plants grow in the Chihuahuan Desert at high altitude?
On higher altitudes of the Chihuahuan Desert, the creosote bush is replaced by yucca species such as Banana Yucca and Torrey Yucca. Going up, we encounter desert grassland which will soon be replaced by bushes and small trees like shrub live oak, mormon tea and jojoba. Among the listed plants, you can also encounter limber bush, candelilla, resurrection fern, living rock cactus, Bokes button cactus and some complex microbial crust (cyanobacteria, fungi and lichens).

Interesting Facts for Kids 14:- Chihuahuan Desert plant adaptations and facts
The plants of the Chihuahuan Desert have to adapt to its harsh climate. Most of the plants adopt one of three ways to survive: tolerance, evasion and succulence. Evasion is the simplest way of surviving. In actual fact, the plant dies during dry periods. The seeds will undergo the germinating process during the rainy seasons. Drought-tolerant plants found growing in the Chihuahuan Desert have adopted the drought tolerance tactic in order to survive. In this case the plants reduce metabolisms to near zero. Once the rainy season begins in the Chihuahuan Desert, they are able to gather all the nutrients they need to grow and survive. Succulent plants gather water in their roots and leaves. All cacti use this tactic to survive the dry season.

Interesting Facts for Kids 15:- Why is the Chihuahuan Desert important?
The Chihuahuan Desert is named after the Mexican state of Chihuahua. On the Mexican territory, the desert occurs largely in Chihuahua. It is said that the name comes from the Nahuatl language, meaning 'between two waters'. The definitions of 'place of holed-rock' or 'dry and sandy place' are also considered.

Interesting Chihuahuan Desert Facts for Kids