There are more than 450 national wildlife refuges managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in an effort to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife, including their habitats. The National Wildlife Refuge System consists of over 90 million acres throughout the U.S.

Wildlife refuges offer unique opportunities for the public to observe and view plants and animals in their natural habitat. They are also a good place to learn about ecosystems, endangered species and the special adaptations of desert life.

Below is a list of links to DesertUSA Magazine articles and some parks. For more information on desert wildlife viewing at a specific park or location, visit Places To Go.

Many people find viewing wildlife at night to be a particularly beautiful and compelling experience. Here are some articles to let you know how to do that:

• Summer Activities: Wildlife Viewing at Night
• Desert Wildlife at Night
• Bug Lighting: Bugs at Night

Plant & Wildflower Features

• A Big Spring Courtesy of Little "El Nino"
• Arboretums & Botanical Gardens of Arizona
• Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum - Tucson, AZ
• 1999 Bummer Crop for Desert Wildflowers
• Curious Wildflower Names
• Cactus Blooms on Elephant Trees Trail - Anza-Borrego DSP
• Desert Cacti
• Desert Fan Palm Oases
• Desert Varnish & Lichen Crust
• Desert Wildflower Field Guide
• Favorite Desert Wildflowers
• 4 Drives into the Heart of Desert Wildflower Country
• Life & Love of Desert Sand Dunes
• Nopales (Prickly Pear Cactus Pads)
• On the Trail of the Creosote
• Seeds of Change
• The Desert in Bloom
• The Living Desert: Wildlife & Botanical Garden - Palm Desert, CA
• The Saguaro: Grand Symbol of the West
• What's in Bloom This Week?
• When Will The Wildflowers Bloom?
• Why Owens Lake is Red - Owens Valley, CA

• Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
• Attack of the "Killer Bees"
• Bighorn Sheep - Anza-Borrego
  • Bighorn Sheep Watching
  • Last Refuge of the Desert Bighorn Sheep (1 of 3)
  • The Plight of Anza-Borrego's Desert Bighorn Sheep (2 of 3)
  • Last Rites for a Desert Bighorn (3 of 3)
• Bird Watching at the Salton Sea - SE California
• Desert Cetaceans - Baja
• Discover The World of Insects
• Joshua Tree Tortoise Rescue
• Life & Love of Desert Sand Dunes
• Looking for Lizards
• Night Driving: Enjoying Desert Wildlife After Dark
• Northern Harrier - Hawk of the Marsh - Moab, UT
• Ramsey Canyon Preserve AZ
• Spring Rattles In - Desert Rattlesnakes
• Surviving Summer in Death Valley
• The Living Desert: Wildlife & Botanical Garden - Palm Desert, CA
• Wolves
  • The Return of El Lobo
  • Candy Kitchen Wolf Rescue Ranch