The Tick
A tick will sneak up on you or your dog, take up a sequestered residence in secret body parts, administer a painless bite into the skin, and engorge itself with blood. A small fraction of an inch in length, a typical tick has a roughly teardrop-shaped, two-part body encased in a leathery, accordion-like, dark brown external skeleton.

Carrizo Badlands: Mud Caves & Canyon Sin Nombre
Some mud caves extend over 1000 feet and feature ceilings as high as 80 feet. Caves have been reported up to 35 feet wide, and others so narrow, you have to squeeze through openings. Multi-level caves with skylights have been found, where erosion has created an opening, or sinkhole, in the ceiling of the cave.

Anza Borrego - Borrego Badlands
Conglomerates, sandstones, claystones and mudstones, compressed and hardened, chronicle a variety of landscapes, fossil life forms and climates that no longer exist at Anza-Borrego. This spectacular area, with its arid rocky geography, sunken mesas and corrugated hills of dry mud, is called the Badlands of Anza Borrego.

Are You Riding Your ATV Over Gold?
One of the most famous prospectors of the time, trapper/gold seeker “Pegleg Smith” traveled through the Anza Borrego region. It's rumored he discovered black gold somewhere in the east part of the Park. Where he found his gold has never been discovered, or if it has, the location has never been published or verified.

Ocotillo Wells SVRA
Located off of California SR 78, Ocotillo Wells has quickly become a preferred destination for ATVs, dirt bikes and dune buggies. Join DesertUSA as we take a look at what draws so many people to this location - almost 2 million people in 2007! See also the Gas Domes' mud pots and the Pumpkin Patch's mysterious round rocks.

 

The Kingsnake
The Kingsnake gets its name from its habit of eating other snakes, and is most famous for eating rattlesnakes, copperheads and coral snakes. But it also feeds on other snakes, lizards, birds and their eggs, small mammals, turtles and frogs. This is one snake you want on your property. more videos like this

The Desert Food Chain
A food chain constitutes a complex network of organisms, from plants to animals, through which energy, derived from the sun, flows in the form of organic matter and dissipates in the form of waste heat. The food chain depends on factors such as seasonal sunlight, availability of water and seasonal temperature changes.

The Coyote
The coyote originally ranged primarily in the southwest corner of the US, but has adapted readily to the changes caused by human occupation, extending its range. One of the few wild animals whose vocalizations are commonly heard, coyotes both howl and emit a series of yips at night. more videos like this

The Saguaro
Saguaros often begin life in the shelter of a "nurse" tree or shrub which provides a shaded, moister habitat. The largest plants are estimated to be 200 years old and can reach heights of 15 to 50 feet. Saguaros have creamy-white, 3-inch-wide flowers with yellow centers that bloom in May and June.

The Rattlesnake
Rattlesnakes come in 16 distinct varieties, all positively identified by the jointed rattles on the tail. Most rattlesnakes, when disturbed, normally try to withdraw. But if they think they are cornered, the explosive sizzling buzz of their rattles is an unmistakable warning to retreat. more videos like this

The Bobcat
Despite its pussycat appearance when seen in repose, the bobcat is quite fierce and is equipped to kill animals as large as deer. However, food habit studies have shown bobcats subsist on a diet of rabbits, ground squirrels, mice, pocket gophers and wood rats. Join us as we watch this sleepy bobcat show his teeth.