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.