The citrullus is a source of food for the wildlife in the desert and the wildlife know the importance and the value of the food provided by the bushes. They eat everything growing in the deserts, some animal eat one and avoid the other but as a main picture, all plants are consumable. Citrullus might be very bitter and poisonus for human but a food of choice for the goats, camels, rodents and the birds. Also, such flora is home to the unique and well adapted fauna of the desert. https://arkbiodiv.com/2020/11/19/enjoy-desert-exploration-with-me/
The Ethnovets in the remote areas use the fruits of the four Mellon for the treatment of the animals as well. https://ethnobiomed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-4269-9-84 https://ethnobiomed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-4269-6-16
The seeds of the plant (citrullus) are very good source of food for the rodents. You will always find the burrows of the rodents in the Citrullus wine deep in the desert.
