Hobbies And Interests
African Lion
African lions are found in the south Saharan desert located in northern Africa and parts of eastern and southern Africa. These lions travel in groups called "prides," which consist of one adult male, several female lions and cubs ranging from a few to 15 altogether. Weighing in at 330 to 500 pounds and 4 feet in height, lions can reach a top speed of 50 miles per hour in short distances and are considered the majestic animals of the desert. The lion's main diet consists of wildlife such as impala, zebra, buffalo and wild hogs with the female lion doing most of the hunting.
Mohave Ground Squirrel
The Mohave ground squirrel is found in western Mojave Desert, which is located in southeastern California, sections of Nevada and Utah, and northwestern Arizona. This squirrel is small, brown and has a white belly with a thin tail. Its average weight is 3 ounces and height 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches; it is the most elusive animal in the desert. These squirrels feed on shrubs, leaves and seeds of forbs such as sunflowers. From August through March, these squirrels tend to hibernate due to the scarcity of food. Breeding with mates occurs after the Mohave ground squirrels awaken from hibernation.
Desert Tortoise
Weighing in at 8 to 15 pounds and 4 to 6 inches in height, desert tortoises are the official reptile in the states of California and Nevada, USA. Desert tortoises are found in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts located in southern California, Nevada and Utah with the Sonoran desert reaching far as southwestern Arizona and into Sonora, Mexico. Their lifespan is 50 to 80 years, and they can live where ground temperatures may exceed 140 degrees in Fahrenheit. They spend at least 95 percent of their time evading the summer heat and winter cold by digging burrows. Their herbivorous diet consists of herbs, grasses, shrubs and cacti.
Gila Monster
Being the largest land lizard in the United States, the Gila monster weighs up to 4 pounds or more and is 2 feet in length. With a black body and bizarrely colored patterns in orange and yellow, this creature is highly venomous. The Gila monster is primarily found in the Chihuahuan desert, which is located in southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico into western Texas. They are also found in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts stretching from southeastern California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and into western Mexico. This sluggish lizard occasionally emerges from its burrow to feed on eggs and newborn animals and bask in the sun.
Bactrian Camel
The Bactrian camel weighs 1,800 pounds and is over 7 feet tall at the hump. In comparison to their camel relatives in Arabia, they have two humps instead of one for long periods of travel without water through the harshest conditions the desert has to offer. The Bactrian camel's shaggy fur from the winter falls off as the temperature gets warmer to adapt to seasonal changes. They are found in the Gobi Desert of northern China and southern Mongolia but held in captivity in central and East Asia's rocky deserts.