Desert Life : ADAPTABLE CREATURES OF THE MOJAVE
In Lancaster, where the average temperature in July is a scorching 98 degrees, desert wildlife must adapt to the environment. Survival for many means lying low during the hot daytime hours under a bush, in a nest or burrow that will provide adequate protection. Since water is scarce, animals obtain moisture from the plants or animals they eat. Here’s a look at some of the animals in and around the Antelope Valley that make their home in the western Mojave Desert.
1) Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) : Most of the water this animal gets is from eating succulent plants or is manufactured by synthesis within its body. Tortoises will drink from shallow pools of rain water when it is available. The shell is practically waterproof, resulting in almost no evaporation.
2) Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus) : Contact with this snake is most likely to occur on mild nights or before the heat of the day gets intense, when it will partially reveal itself under the bank of a dry wash. Building its home among Joshua trees and cacti, it measures 24 to 51 inches and has extremely toxic venom.
3) Desert kangaroo rat (Dipodorys deserti) : A burrow in the sand, four inches in diameter and stretching three to four feet underground, is home for the desert kangaroo rat. Its burrow is a refuge from the heat as well as a place to store plant stems and seeds, gathered mostly in the spring.
4) Road runner (Geococcyx californianus) : This bird, which seldom flies, thrives in the desert and does not seem to be bothered by heat or lack of water. As with most desert animals, the road runner limits its activity at midday. It gets much of its moisture from its diet of lizards, small snakes, large insects and the eggs and young of small birds.
5) Cactus wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) : Cholla cacti, spiny shrubs and yuccas are where the cactus wren makes its nest, constructed mainly of grasses. The cacti serve two purposes: safeguarding the nest against attack and providing a dense retreat for the large wrens. The birds feed on insects and cactus fruit, getting plenty of water from both.
6) Bobcat (Lynx rufus) : During the day, bobcats--also known as wildcats--sun themselves on rocks or lie under bushes. By night, they use their cunning hunting skills to catch birds, mice, rabbits and other game. When bobcats are restless or hungry, they will hunt during the day.
7) Black-tailed jack rabbit (Lepus californicus) : This hare does most of its foraging right before daybreak and nightfall. It gets all of its water from eating plants and takes it slow during the day, resting in dense brush.
8) Mojave fringe-toed lizard (Uma scoparia) : This 5- to 7-inch lizard is diurnal and makes its home in sand dunes covered by low-growing vegetation. It is able to move very fast--up to 23 m.p.h.--and likes to bury itself in the sand for protection. Despite the high daytime desert temperatures, the lizard’s body temperatures averages 97 degrees.
Sources: State Department of Parks and Recreation, “The Lives of Desert Animals in Joshua Tree National Monument” by Alden H. Miller and Robert C. Stebbins, and “Desert Wildlife” by Edmund C. Jaeger
Researched by STEPHANIE STASSEL / Los Angeles Times
