Wildlife in the Natural Area
There are many other animals present including the threatened Mohave ground squirrel, desert kit fox, coyote, badger, jackrabbit, desert woodrat, and kangaroo rat. Some of the lizards present are the collared lizard, the side-blotched, leopard lizard, chuckwalla, and the western whiptail. Examples of birds to be seen are the cactus wren, LeConte’s thrasher, ash-throated flycatcher, red-tailed hawk, and ladderback woodpecker. Snakes common to the area are coachwhip, gopher, sidewinder, and Mohave rattlesnake.
Wildlife is best observed in the spring months. Some species are most abundant during years when there are carpets of wildflowers as a result of a wet winter. There are over 160 different kinds of plants: desert candles, Mohave asters, primroses, blazing stars, coreopsis, lupines, phacelias, thistle sage and gilias, to name a few. Among the flowering shrubs, the creosote bush is conspicuous for its height and abundance, and essential for providing shelter for wildlife.
Check out our trail guides below to discover more about the flora and fauna of the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area.
Trail Guides
Main Loop
In addition to the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), the DTRNA is home to 27 other species of reptiles, 29 species of breeding birds, 23 species of mammals and many species of arthropods. The Interpretive Center is the starting point for most of the DTRNA trails, and this is where our virtual field trip begins. You can follow the Main loop trail through to the end, or take side trips along the Plant Loop and Animal Loop trails.
Animal Loop
Gopher Snakes and Sidewinders, Zeba-Tailed and Horned Lizards, Tarantulas, Kangaroo Rats, Burrowing Owls and more!
Plant Loop
There are over 160 species of perennial and annual flowering plants in the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area. Many of these plants provide food and shelter for the desert tortoise and the other animals that live here. Xeric adapted plants have evolved many strategies to deal with the harsh realities of life in the desert. The plants selected here illustrate some of these adaptations.