How would you find a drink if you were stranded in a desert? The Thorny Devil, which lives in sand, spinifex grasslands and scrub in central and western Australia, uses its skin to keep it hydrated! Channels between its spines direct water along the skin to its mouth using capillary action. This allows most of its drinking water to be obtained from rain or by burying itself in moist sand.

At about the length of an adult man’s hand, the Thorny Devil is a blotchy mix of yellow, brown and red ochre. The skin features prominent sharp cone shaped spikes in rows. It is pushing up on its two front legs which are shorter than the back legs. The firmly planted limbs end in short curved claws. The tail is thin and almost as long as the body.

The head features two larger spikes to the sides above the beady dark eyes and on the back of the head is a smaller solid round structure that also sports spikes. The head is raised and there is a lump or pseudo head on the back of its neck. Short sharp thorns of various length cover its body. The longest thorns scatter along its flat back.

It is hard to beat the Thorny Devil when it comes to amazing adaptations. In addition to its unique way of drinking, it has spikes to protect itself, changes colour in response to temperatures, and has a mouth adapted to only eat ants! It also has a spiked lump on its head; this 'false' head is used to trick predators.