 Animal
Exhibits
Africa from A to Z
When you visit the African wildlife exhibits at The Living
Desert, you will see some of the most unique and fascinating fauna
found in what most people think as the “wasteland” of
the world: the desert. Animals such as Arabian oryx, several species
of gazelle, sand cats and fennec foxes, all call the desert home.
Almost all are critically endangered, largely because modern hunting
equipment – jeeps, helicopters, telescopic sights and automatic
weapons – has given man an immense advantage over animals
in the desert.
The Living Desert has worked many years to successfully increase
the world’s population of slender-horned gazelles, sand cats,
addax and Arabian oryx. A desert species, in general, has fewer
individuals than, say, a jungle species, because a severe environment
cannot support huge numbers of animals. As a result, human activity
can push an already scarce desert species, such as the sand cat,
to near extinction, as has happened in the deserts of Pakistan.
Not all African species in our collection are endangered. Aardwolves,
camels, dik diks, hornbills, meerkats, rock hyrax, warthogs and
zebras, everything from A to Z, can be found in the African animal
exhibits at The Living Desert.
North America: Our Own Backyard
Most zoos feature exotic animals from other parts of the world.
Here at The Living Desert, we include animals that live in our own
ecosystem, the deserts of North America. One of the first stops
on a tour through the park is the After Sundown exhibit. This showcases
small nocturnal or night-active desert animals. Due to the extreme
daytime temperatures that occur May through October, many of the
locals come out after dark. Bats, scorpions, screech owls, mice,
lizards and snakes all seek the coolness of the evening temperatures
to hunt for food. The darkened hall of this exhibit manifests an
important characteristic of many desert animals: they are out and
about when it’s cooler.
 Along
the paved pathways in the North American side of the zoo, you will
encounter many birds of prey such as hawks, falcons, eagles and
vultures. Creatures such as coyotes, badgers, wolves, mountain lions
and bobcats all make for an interesting education about our own
biome.
Many of the desert’s birds are active during the day, including
hummingbirds, quail, doves, cactus wrens, orioles, finches and roadrunners.
In fact, most all of these animals live wild and free in the many
beautiful gardens that you find here. Insects and lizards also abound
in the park. You might even spot a chuckwalla, our desert’s
largest lizard, sunning on the rocks before venturing off to have
a delicious lunch of yellow flower blossoms!
The largest exhibit found in the North American section is Bighorn
Mountain, which features the endangered Peninsular Bighorn sheep.
This majestic animal, found only in this desert region, is rapidly
losing its place in the environment. Through research and the tireless
efforts of conservationists, this species is slowly being reintroduced
in to its natural habitat.
Come enjoy the beauty and wonder of the North American deserts
and feel at home with these incredible creatures.
   
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