Reptiles and Water in the Desert
In Reptiles and Water in the Desert, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes how all wildlife makes the most of any opportunity to get water in the desert. The thorny devil sources water from eating ants but it can also dip its toe in puddles and collect moisture by capillary action. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
Lesson Express
Q: What is one way the thorny devil get water?
A: The thorny devil gets water from its food — the hundreds of ants it must eat each day.
Q: What is the trick that the thorny devil uses to absorb water?
A: The thorny devil dips its foot in a shallow puddle and absorbs the water through its capillaries.
Q: Why do the water droplets disappear so quickly?
A: The water droplets disappear because it’s so hot and they evaporate.
More Like This

In The Weedy Sea Dragon’s Daddy Daycare, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how male weedy sea dragons care for their young. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.

In An Army of Spider Crabs, narrator Sir David Attenborough shows the fascinating journey taken by spider crabs as their giant tribes grow and move through the green seas in Australia. From the hardening of their outer shells to moving in masses, these crabs go through quite the journey. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.

In The Giant Cuttlefish Finds a Mate, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains the color-changing communication of this largest type of cuttlefish. This piques the attention of females, and helps the cuttlefish find a mate. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.

In Changes in the Coral Reef, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes how one diver is capturing the coral bleaching around Lizard Island in Australia. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.

In The Weedy Sea Dragon’s Daddy Daycare, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how male weedy sea dragons care for their young. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.

In An Army of Spider Crabs, narrator Sir David Attenborough shows the fascinating journey taken by spider crabs as their giant tribes grow and move through the green seas in Australia. From the hardening of their outer shells to moving in masses, these crabs go through quite the journey. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.

In The Giant Cuttlefish Finds a Mate, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains the color-changing communication of this largest type of cuttlefish. This piques the attention of females, and helps the cuttlefish find a mate. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.

In Changes in the Coral Reef, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes how one diver is capturing the coral bleaching around Lizard Island in Australia. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.