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Wildlife
Although the desert is often thought of as lifeless, many animals call the sere landscape home.
Plan Around Wildlife
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Wildlife Details
Although the desert is often thought of as lifeless, many animals call the sere landscape home. Joshua Tree is home to 40 reptile species, 41 mammal species and 240 bird species. The most charismatic among them are the healthy herds of desert bighorn sheep, numbering between 200 and 300 animals. Rams often weigh over 200 pounds, and they prefer steep, rocky terrain for escape from predators, bedding, and lambing. Three separate herds live in the park, the largest of which numbers 120 animals and lives in the Eagle Mountains at park's far eastern boundary. The second herd consists of about 100 animals and ranges through the main part of the Little San Bernardino Mountains. The smallest herd, numbering only 30 animals, lives in the Wonderland of Rocks and is most often seen by visitors. The seldom seen California mountain lion is the bighorns' only predator. Other than the bighorns, visitors are most likely to see birds, lizards, and ground squirrels because they're active during the day. Nighttime, however, is when the desert really comes alive. Joshua Tree is home to many animals that are mostly nocturnal, including snakes, bighorn sheep, kangaroo rats, coyotes and black-tailed jack rabbits. Dusk and dawn are good times animal viewing, both of the animals rising and going to sleep. Most of the reptiles and many small rodents and insects enter an inactive state of hibernation during the winter, although this is when the park features the greatest bird concentrations because of the many migrant species.
Difficulty
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Learn About the Park
Nearby Parks Around Wildlife
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Nearby Points of Interest Around Wildlife
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