1

THE LIVING DESERT ZOO AND GARDENS LECTURE NOTES

The Living Desert was established in March 1970 as a 360 acre

wilderness preserve in the then remote city of Palm Desert. Since

then, it has grown to 1200 acres and it includes over 400 species

of plants and animals. Today it is one of the most unique institutions

in the country and stands out as the only American zoo and garden

dedicated solely to interpreting and conserving the deserts of the

world and it is the only zoological and botanical park specializing in

just one entire ecosystem.

Definition of a desert:

What are the causes of evaporation?

What is the cause for our local deserts?

The Deserts of North America

1.

2.

3.

4.

2

Deserts of the World

% of earth’s surface:

Largest (size):

Smallest (size):

Small Animal House

Western Diamondback:

Speckled:

Mojave:

Sidewinder:

Common King Snake:

Gopher Snake:

Gila Monster:

3

Pathway to Africa

Desert Willow Smoke Tree Creosote

Giraffe: Greater Kudu: Ostriches:

4

Anokole Cattle Warthog Leopard

Hyena Camel Addax

Gambel’s Quail

5

Cheetah Zebra African Wild Dogs

Meerkats Eurasian Black Vulture Arabian Oryx Cinereous Vultures

Madagascar Animal

Fossa

6

Plant Adaptations on Pathway:

Palo Verde: Mesquite Saguaro:

Cactus:

Barrel Cactus: Beavertail Cactus: Mojave Prickly Pear:

7

Mojave Desert Plants:

Joshua Tree: Mojave Yucca: California Juniper

Octillo Jumping Chollo California Fan Palm

8

Mojave Desert Animals:

Desert Tortoises: Red-tailed Hawk: Desert Pupfish

Turkey Vulture: Roadrunner: Great Horned Owls:

9

Eagle Canyon

Coyote: Golden Eagle: Porcupine

Mountain Lion: Thick-billed Parrot: Bobcat:

10

Ringtail: Badger: Javelina:

Mexican Wolf: Coati: Jaguar:

11

Burrowing Owl: American Kestrel: Peregrine Falcon: Prairie Falcon:

Pronghorn Big Horn Sheep: