Many animals can survive more than a few days without drinking water. But scientists say there are some creatures that can survive longer during droughts.

NASA suggests that 2016 could be the planet's hottest year on record. Human beings and animals are struggling with hot temperatures that could potentially lead to dehydration. But animals that live in seasonally dry environments are luckier than others, as they can survive by going without water longer than the average animal or human can.

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For some desert animals, food is substituted for water. The pocket mice and the North American kangaroo rats collect seeds in moist conditions, and when plants start to reproduce. They live off the seeds until they can scout for the next available source of food, even if it takes a year.

Meanwhile, larger mammals like the camel store fat in their humps as a source for water. On average, camels store up to 36 kilograms (80Ib) of fat. Researchers say that an animal gets 1.12 milliliters of water for every gram of fat it breaks down.

While these animals have adapted to conserve water, there are some that live to catch every drop. Tortoises, including giant tortoises of the Galapagos Islands, can store water in their bladders. During the rainy seasons or if they get a chance to pass by leafy pastures, tortoises take the time to fill their bladders, and they can extract the water from their bladder walls during the dry season. According to Glenn Walsberg of the Arizona State University, if a Tortoise is not handled with care especially when it is picked up from the ground, it could pee a puddle.  

But even though these animals have learned to adapt and conserve water during droughts, it does not mean than they can survive without it. Walsberg said that with global warming and the rapid changes of the climate, it is difficult to predict the effects of drought on animals that have learned how to adapt to water scarcity.