Desert+Animals

__The Armadillo Lizard__ The armadillo lizard 15-17 inches, the tail is 14-16 inches long, and it weighs 8-17 lbs. The armored Armadillo Lizard has protection all around its body so that predators can't harm any of its under parts. It can be found in the deserts of the southern tip of Africa. This lizard has its babies in the late summer. Only 1 or 2 babies are born during that time. It is preyed upon by bigger and stronger predators, such as humans, etc. The Armadillo Lizard's armor is most usefull against many birds, mammals, and other reptiles.

__The Banded Gila Monster__ They are pink, orange and red. Four or five black bands with spots in them run around the body. The tail is also banded. Their heads are spotted with black around their eyes and mouth. Their patterns are really amazing because their colors send out a warning to any predators that they are poisonous. The Banded Gila Monster can get to be 2 feet long and can weigh up to 3 pounds. The gila monster hunts at day, but is hardly ever seen by people because it is so shy. It's found in the southwestern United States. The Gila Monster mates in July and lays its eggs a few weeks later. They lay 3 to 15 eggs in a hole then cover them with sand. They hatch in 28 to 30 days. When it is under trees or bushes it is camouflaged and when it is not, its red, pink, orange, and black colors are a warning to predators. It stores fat in its tail and its body. It can survive on its fat, or stored energy, for about three months.

__Bobcat__ The average bobcat weighs 15 to 20 pounds, and is 2 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet long. It looks basically like a regular cat except bigger. Bobcats can be found almost anywhere, but one of the most common places is the southwest desert. The bobcat's diet consist of rabbits, squirrels, mice, gophers,rats, and fish. They have a very good hunting ability. Bobcats will have one litter of kittens a year. A litter of bobcats consists of 2 to 3 kittens. Bobcats are loners. Each bobcat has its own territory which it will not share with other bobcats, except for females.

__Coyote__ Coyotes are known for their sharp eyesight, keen hearing and a keen sense of smell. Adult coyotes can grow to be 4 feet long (including the tail which can be 11 - 16 inches long). They can be 2 feet tall and weigh up to 30 pounds. Coyotes once only lived in Western America, but people have forced them to find other habitats. Coyotes can be found in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Coyotes eat mostly rabbits and rodents. They also hunt antelope, goats, sheep, and other animals. They will eat insects and reptiles.

__Desert Kangaroo Rat__ It usually grow to about 14 inches (38 cm) in length, including its tail. Its hair is a yellow buff color above and white below.The tail has a white-tipped tuft at the end. The thing that sticks out the most is the Kangaroo rat's very big eyes.The kangaroo rat lives in the desert scrub of the Mojave and Sonoran deserts of California and Arizona, and western through southern Nevada. The female kangaroo rat has 3 or more litters of babies a year which are born from January through June. She is pregnant for 29 to 32 days. The newborns weigh about 1/16 oz. Their life span in the wild is 3 to 5 years. The kangaroo rat mostly eats seeds, leaves, stems and insects. The kangaroo rats are not endangered, and their status in the wild is very good right now. __The Thorny Devil__ The lizard's body has conical spines all over, including spines above each eye and a hump behind its head which is spiny. The tail is also spiny. The color changes on the Thorny Devil's body from yellow to reddish brown to black, depending on which type of soil it is crossing. The total length they can grow is 20 cm. The Thorny Devil lays about 3 to 10 eggs underground, between September and January. The eggs hatch 3 to 4 months later. They reach maturity after 3 years. The Thorny Devil lives for about 20 years. The Thorny Devil usually eats ants, eating a very large number of ants in a single meal, about 600 to 3000 ants! The Thorny Devil is an endangered animal. People have been saving the Thorny Devil's nests and eggs by placing wire enclosures around the nests. By doing this they are keeping predators out and hold the babies in after hatching.

[|Other animals include:] The Cactus Wren The Desert Bighorn Sheep The Desert Tortoise The Javelina The Cactus Ferruginoug Pygmy Owl The Sonoran Desert Toad The Sonoran Pronghorn Antelope