After a long winter’s rest, Mojave Max, the beloved desert tortoise mascot for the Clark County Desert Conservation Program, has finally emerged from his burrow. The springtime tradition, eagerly anticipated by Clark County School District elementary school students, unfolded on Tuesday at 3:09 p.m. as Max ventured out of his burrow at the Springs Preserve.
Desert tortoises, like Max, undergo a period of hibernation known as brumation, where they sleep through the cold months of fall and winter, only to awaken with the arrival of spring, typically between March and May. This year, over 4,100 students participated in the emergence contest, eagerly predicting Max’s springtime debut. While the winning guess and subsequent field trip with pizza party have yet to be announced, the Mojave Max education program continues to play a vital role in the community.
“For 24 years, the Mojave Max education program has been a cornerstone in our community,” said Marci Henson, director of the Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability. “Every year, Clark County elementary school students gain valuable knowledge about the threatened desert tortoise, its role as a keystone species, and the significance of preserving our fragile desert ecosystem.”
Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, Max was spotted near the entrance of his burrow, suggesting his awareness of the changing weather conditions. Audrie Locke, public outreach coordinator for the program, had earlier predicted Max’s emergence to occur sooner than last year, when he made his latest appearance in the contest’s history. This year, Max spent the winter in a shallower burrow than the previous year, allowing him to sense the ground’s warmth more readily and prompting his earlier emergence.
