Spring? Not Yet, Says Mojave Max

On March 19, Americans living in the Pacific Daylight time zone observed the vernal equinox or the first day of spring. Southern Nevadans, however, are still anxiously awaiting their official sign of spring weather – Mojave Max’s emergence from his winter’s sleep.

Mojave Max is a live desert tortoise residing at the Red Rock National Conservation Area Visitor’s Center.  Like Punxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog, Mojave Max’s emergence is a good indicator of when spring will arrive in Southern Nevada .  Mojave Max usually emerges in March, but has emerged as early as February 14 and as late as April 3 in past years.

Desert tortoises of the Mojave Desert enter a state of sleep in October or November of each year. They sleep for five or six months and then emerge when the weather conditions are just right. Mojave Max has not yet stirred this year.

Temperature, daylight and biology are the three critical factors that determine when Mojave Max will first exit his burrow each year.  Since the vernal equinox is the day when the daylight and night are equal, it is also an indicator that the West Coast is beginning to have longer days, and Mojave Max will soon respond to this change.

As part of Clark County ’s Mojave Max Education Program, the annual Mojave Max Emergence Contest encourages students to study the behavior of desert tortoises and guess when they believe Mojave Max will first exit his burrow each year.  The Clark County student who guesses closest to the actual time of Mojave Max’s emergence and his or her entire class will receive medals, T-shirts, a pizza party, and a field trip to the Red Rock National Conservation Area to visit the live Mojave Max.

For more information and to enter the contest, log onto www.accessclarkcounty.com or www.mojavemax.com.

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