Which Animal Can Survive the Longest Without Water?

The kangaroo rat (genus Dipodomys) of North American deserts can survive its entire life without ever directly drinking water. It obtains all the moisture it needs from metabolic water — water produced internally when it digests dry seeds. Its kidneys are extraordinarily efficient, producing urine five times more concentrated than human urine, and it has no sweat glands. Kangaroo rats also minimize water loss by being nocturnal, spending the hottest hours in cool burrows. Among larger animals, camels can survive about 10–15 days without water in desert conditions, while the desert tortoise can go over a year by storing water in its bladder.