Cholistan Desert, Pakistan Photograph by Mauri Rautkari   India and Pakistan Deserts and Xeric Shrublands   92,200 square miles (238,700 square kilometers) -- about the size of North Carolina and Louisiana combined Vulnerable

· Grit and Bear It
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern

Grit and Bear It

After youâre done exploring the vast sand dunes of the Thar Desert, lace up your rock-climbing boots. Youâll need them to explore the craggy rocks of this dry land. Then you might want to dress lightly to hike across the salt-lake bottoms. Wherever you go, bring plenty of water, because you wonât find much here.

Special Features

In some years, this region may receive less than a half inch (only one cm) of rain. Even in wet years, the grand total is less than 2 inches (5 cm). This extremely dry desert supports a variety of plants and animals adapted to the scant amount of rain. Grasses, shrubs, and trees withstand dry climates with adaptations such as shallow, widespread roots that capture moisture and leaves that appear only after rains fall. The plants and animals of this desert find refuge in 11 protected areas that cover almost one-fifth of the ecoregion. Two reserves protect more than 1,930 square miles (5,000 square kilometers); one protects more than 7,722 square miles (20,000 square kilometers).

	Caracals can leap ten feet (3 m) into the air to knock down birds, which are among their primary prey.

Wild Side

Like many deserts, the Thar provides habitat for a wide variety of animals. The desert fox and the caracal--a short-tailed, tufted-eared wild cat--hunt here. Both predators eat rodents and birds; the caracal also hunts small hoofed animals. Falcons join the list of predators, feeding mostly on small rodents. More than 141 species of birds live here, including the rare great Indian bustard and the Houbara bustard. Hoofed mammals such as chinkaras and blackbucks graze and browse here. Dozens of other mammals live here, along with eleven species of reptiles, such as the Indian spiny-tailed lizard.

Cause for Concern

Although the Thar Desert may seem inhospitable to humans, it is actually the most densely populated desert in the world. Many of the people who live here graze sheep and goats, which can reduce soil fertility and harm native plants. And as farmers move to the area now that irrigation water is available, conservationists are looking for ways to protect the desert and help people have a better quality of life.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.