THE LIVING DESERT ZOO AND GARDENS LECTURE NOTES

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Willa Gaines
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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.

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

What are the causes of evaporation? High Temps High solar radiation High Winds What is the cause for our local deserts? Rain Shadow The Deserts of North America 1. Great Basin Desert Calif.

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: Less than 10 inches a year Where evaporation exceeds precipitation. What are the causes of evaporation? High Temps High solar radiation High Winds What is the cause for our local deserts? Rain Shadow The Deserts of North America 1. Great Basin Desert Calif., Utah, Nevada, and Idaho Cold Desert basins 2. Mohave California, Nevada, Arizona Hot desert less than 6 inches of rain per year Death Valley Lowest point in U.S. Badwater CA feet below sea level Air temps = 120 degrees (134 degrees is record) 3. Sonoran Desert CA, Arizona, Mexico Hot desert Young (10,000 years old) subtropical Air Temps: 120 degree 4. Chihuahuan desert Arizona, N Mexico, Texas, Mexico Hot desert higher elevations 1

Deserts of the World % of earth s surface:

Speckled: Motionless Hemotoxic Large amount

Diff. areas touch sand to Reduce burns Eye

Snake: Eats other snakes immune To venom

rattlesnake w/tail in leaves Round pupil

(Komodo dragon, beaded lizard) Desert Iguana

2 Deserts of the World % of earth s surface: 33% Largest (size): Saharan (3.3 million square mi) Smallest (size): Carcross (1 square mi) Small Animal House Western Diamondback: Greatest number of bites Aggressive Solitary Primary hemotoxic Speckled: Motionless Hemotoxic Large amount of venom Mojave: Mixture of hemotoxins & Neurotoxins Nocturnal (crepuscular) Sidewinder: Sideway movement Move on sand Diff. areas touch sand to Reduce burns Eye hoods Hemotoxic less venom Common King Snake: Eats other snakes immune To venom Gopher Snake: Common snake, Acts like rattlesnake w/tail in leaves Round pupil Gila Monster: One of three venomous lizards (Komodo dragon, beaded lizard) Desert Iguana - They are capable of tolerating body temperatures of 42 C (108 F) which is higher than any known vertebrate 2

Pathway to Africa Desert Willow Smoke Tree Creosote Both deserts

Desert washes Desert Washes Grows uniform chemicals Not a true

of higher water table leaves only 3 weeks a year Both deserts -

18 feet tall 8 ft 320 lbs 7 vertebrae Males - Black Ossicones

Gray Necking maybe why they have long necks Growth pulses Males

females lays eggs in nest Trifurcate teeth to deal with thorns

3 Pathway to Africa Desert Willow Smoke Tree Creosote Both deserts common to Joshua Tree NP Oldest tree 11,700 year old -clone Desert washes Desert Washes Grows uniform chemicals Not a true willow own family Pea family Good at absorbing water Indicator of higher water table leaves only 3 weeks a year Both deserts - antioxidants PS through stems Giraffe: Greater Kudu: Ostriches: 18 feet tall 8 ft 320 lbs 7 vertebrae Males - Black Ossicones calcified cartilage (thermoregulation) Spiral horned Female - Gray Necking maybe why they have long necks Growth pulses Males make nest multiple 18 inch tongue cover-dependent browsers females lays eggs in nest Trifurcate teeth to deal with thorns on Acacia not grass Males care mostly for young 25 pound heart to pump blood up neck 3

Anokole Cattle Warthog Leopard Large horns

Showing of wealth in Africa Tusks are canines no

??? Pulls prey into trees Use for digging

color helps with heat 50 gals in 3 minutes

4 Anokole Cattle Warthog Leopard Large horns (selective breeding) True Pig smallest large cat Showing of wealth in Africa Tusks are canines no spots in rosettes Warts???? Pulls prey into trees Use for digging (heavier than them) Killed by ranchers Opportunistic (swine flu) Equiv. to Mt Lion in US Hyena Camel Addax Very strong Jaw Dromedary (one hump) sahara desert Aggressive high level of testosterone Bactrian (two humps) short stocky Females have pseudopenis Hump is fat, ship of the desert color helps with heat 50 gals in 3 minutes (raise body temp) can go without drink Lose 30% of their weight in water Gambel s Quail Raise body temp Lose 50% Humans Lose 5% - hallucinate 4

Cheetah Zebra African Wild Dogs 60-70 miles per hour

family run animals down Only for one minute why

confusion effect 2 dog chase - switch runners 1 out

hindgut fermintation Most dog-like cat Meerkats

Vultures Mongoose family Large vulture Found in

extinct since 1972 Altruistic behavior 91/2 ft

color, reduce heat / hold heat Thought the idea of

5 Cheetah Zebra African Wild Dogs miles per hour aggressive Work in groups Fastest land mammal horse family run animals down Only for one minute why striped? confusion effect 2 dog chase - switch runners 1 out of 10 catches genetically stand by stripes Overheat hindgut fermintation Most dog-like cat Meerkats Eurasian Black Vulture Arabian Oryx Cinereous Vultures Mongoose family Large vulture Found in middle east Not solitary like others 4 ft tall extinct since 1972 Altruistic behavior 91/2 ft wingspan releasing back into wild (guarding) 23 lbs color, reduce heat / hold heat Thought the idea of unicorn Non aggressive for a oryx Madagascar Animal Plant Adaptations on Pathway: Fossa cat like endemic to Madagascar (maybe near civet family) 5

Palo Verde: Mesquite Saguaro: Green Stem State

flower of Arizona Most common tree of the

yrs to grow side arm Drought Deciduous Charcoal

Beavertail Cactus: Mojave Prickly Pear: Not

6 Palo Verde: Mesquite Saguaro: Green Stem State tree of Arizona up to 200 ft taproot State flower of Arizona Most common tree of the Sonoron used for fuel, food, clothing Up to 75 yrs to grow side arm Drought Deciduous Charcoal Sonoran Desert Spiny stems Grows on slopes (washes) Nurse plant for Saguaro cactus Scarification of seeds Cactus: Barrel Cactus: Beavertail Cactus: Mojave Prickly Pear: Not good drink (old movies) glochids spines Dehydrates (large amounts of solutes) Chladophyll Chladophyll Lose water trying to open Accordion shape allow them to expand 6

Mojave Desert Plants: Joshua Tree: Mojave Yucca:

Age by size Needed for reproduction relic species

remnant of conifer forest Only grows where it freezes

near Joshua trees Certain amount of time per year

California Fan Palm Sonoran desert Cactus with spines

from species Needs fire (lightening) PS through stem

7 Mojave Desert Plants: Joshua Tree: Mojave Yucca: California Juniper Monocot Yucca family Yucca Moth Gin Age by size Needed for reproduction relic species Prophet Joshua Moth lays eggs and rubs on anther remnant of conifer forest Only grows where it freezes for a flies to other yucca and lays on stigma found near Joshua trees Certain amount of time per year babies have food to eat Octillo Jumping Chollo California Fan Palm Sonoran desert Cactus with spines Only native palm in US Leaves for several weeks jump from species Needs fire (lightening) PS through stem (breaks easy) reduces competition (water) Red flowers used by migrants Skirt to ground (hummingbirds) 7

Mojave Desert Animals: Desert Tortoises: Red-tailed

list) Most common large hawk in US Up to 106 temp

destruction sometimes called chicken hawk Have we

Virus (pet trade) 4 ft wingspan Ravens 3.

Owls: Eat dead animals Color used for communication

torpor Turns neck 240-270 degrees Cool by pooping

8 Mojave Desert Animals: Desert Tortoises: Red-tailed Hawk: Desert Pupfish Endangered (just removed from list) Most common large hawk in US Up to 106 temp Disappearing due to: urban relic species Habitat destruction sometimes called chicken hawk Have we saved them? Virus (pet trade) 4 ft wingspan Ravens 3.5 lbs Turkey Vulture: Roadrunner: Great Horned Owls: Eat dead animals Color used for communication Pellets fur and bone Sense of smell black skin torpor Turns neck degrees Cool by pooping on legs heat up in morning by pulling eyes locked in sockets Feathers away nocuturnal Asymmetrical ears to judge distance 8

Eagle Canyon Coyote: Golden Eagle: Porcupine

5 ft wingspan Quills Keystone species 8-11 lbs

large rodents 2 nd largest us rodent Urban

nocturnal 15-35 lbs talons can pop tractor

Bobcat: Largest small cat (same niche as

ft / 220 lbs SE Arizona 4 ft long / 40 lbs Can

9 Eagle Canyon Coyote: Golden Eagle: Porcupine Opportunistic ft wingspan Quills Keystone species 8-11 lbs Odor (rosette patch) Great runners and jumpers large rodents 2 nd largest us rodent Urban increased due to man disappearing due to man nocturnal lbs talons can pop tractor tire Mountain Lion: Thick-billed Parrot: Bobcat: Largest small cat (same niche as leopard) Only native parrot alive small cat 8 ft / 220 lbs SE Arizona 4 ft long / 40 lbs Can be dangerous (usually young) eats pine nuts ambush hunters Danger due to habitat destruction 9

Ringtail: Badger: Javelina: Also called miner s cat

cat related to weasels 3 stomachs / non ruminating

large claws need to be near water Nocturnal hard to

miners to hunt mice hunts with coyotes Mexican Wolf:

to most widespread mammal turn ankles 180 degrees

10 Ringtail: Badger: Javelina: Also called miner s cat found in the mustelid family not a true pig Not a cat related to weasels 3 stomachs / non ruminating Raccoon family lose skin on neck have latrines Agile large claws need to be near water Nocturnal hard to attack due to skin don t regulate temp well Used by miners to hunt mice hunts with coyotes Mexican Wolf: Coati: Jaguar: raccoon family Rosettes w/ spots Use to most widespread mammal turn ankles 180 degrees Large cats once thought to In the world go head first down tree be extinct in U.S. (Texas) Gray wolved up to 90 lbs These are smaller subspecies (about 35 lbs) 10

Burrowing Owl: American Kestrel: Peregrine

falcon fastest animals desert version of

220 mph in a dive little bigger Next in ground

not an antelope (own family) Fastest land

Curious white flag draws them in Big Horn

11 Burrowing Owl: American Kestrel: Peregrine Falcon: Prairie Falcon: Diurnal owl smallest falcon fastest animals desert version of peregrine Eats mice / insects Kites (in air) 220 mph in a dive little bigger Next in ground eats insects / mice hunt birds little slower Babies sound like DDT almost extinct Rattlesnakes to keep Out predators Pronghorn not an antelope (own family) Fastest land animal in US (55mph) Due to american cheetah Curious white flag draws them in Big Horn Sheep: horns can weigh 40 lbs need water every 3 days males fight for females 11

Night Hike Notes. October 20 & 21, :30-8:00pm. Station 1: Snakes

Night Hike Notes. October 20 & 21, :30-8:00pm. Station 1: Snakes Station 1: Snakes Gophersnake Often mistaken for a rattlesnake, but is non-venomous Imitates rattlesnakes by flattening its head, hissing, and vibrating its tail Eats rattlesnakes, rodents, rabbits, birds,