MAURITANIA-ANIMAL-SOCIETY-LIFESTYLE

Iris, a four months old Siberian husky dog who born in Tunisia and has been brought recently to Nouakchott in Mauritania, on October 8, 2024. Traditionally bred as sled dogs in the far north of Siberia, huskies are proving an ever more popular pet in the Sahara -- where temperatures can regularly soar to 40 degrees Celsius. While the sweltering heat is not an ideal climate for the Arctic breed, huskies have a great capacity to adapt, said Hela Rokbani from the French Animal Protection Agency (SPA). The dogs have two layers of fur which act as a thermal regulator, protecting them from the cold as well as the heat, she explained. They renew their coats twice a year and automatically adapt their fur to the climate, she added. (Photo by MICHELE CATTANI / AFP) (Photo by MICHELE CATTANI/AFP via Getty Images)