A desert tortoise prepares to snack on a desert mallow.
When most people think of the desert, they don’t think much about rain. Well, on August 22, the Mojave Desert experienced record-breaking rainfall, with some areas receiving well over 2.5 inches (6 centimeters) of rain within a 24-hour period, which caused major damage to the area. Most damage was due to washed-out roads and to low-lying property. But altogether, the desert had a much-needed drink for such a hot and dry summer.
Desert plantains have sprouted after record rainfall in the Mojave.
The aftermath of so much rain caused an explosion of plant life to appear throughout the desert. Some plants had not been seen in certain areas for many years. Plants such as the desert plantain Plantago ovate, desert mallow Spaerlcea ambigua, and golden bush from the genus Ericameria, just to name a few, started growing all over the desert. These plants are some of the desert tortoises’ favorite foods, which will help them have a full stomach before they go down for hibernation in the winter.
Daniel Essary is a research associate at the San Diego Zoo’s Desert Tortoise Conservation Center. Read his previous post, Rabbits, Rodents, and Tortoises.
I enjoyed hearing about the rain and the plants that are now growing in the desert Daniel, but wonder if any of the tortoises could have possibly drowned if they were in a burrow and the water flooded it?
There is a chance of a tortoise drowning in a burrow, but that is usually if there is major flooding. More often the tortoise will come out of the burrow with any sign of rain and try to get a drink of water since rain/water is rare in the Mojave desert.
I very much appreciate these insights into the desert, a fascinating yet — it would seem — somewhat under appreciated environment. Thank you!
nice to hear that the tortoises will get a nice “midnight” snack before their winter sleep.
I say we can do it, Let’s make the Mojave Desert a reinforced. Anything is possible.