Page 29 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Southwest USA & National Parks

A POR TR AIT OF THE SOUTHWEST  27

Dangers in the Desert
The danger of poisonous desert creatures has often been
exaggerated. Although some desert creatures do, on rare
occasions, bite or sting people, the bites are seldom fatal
unless the victims are small children or have serious health
problems. To avoid being hurt, never reach into dark spaces
or up onto overhead ledges where you can’t see. Watch where
you place your feet, and shake out clothes and shoes before
putting them on. Never harass or handle a poisonous creature.
If you are bitten, stay calm and seek medical help immediately.

The Gila monster is the only
The desert scorpion is veno mous lizard in the US. It is
golden in color. Its bite is a slow-moving but rarely seen
venomous, so anyone who inhabitant of the desert regions,
has been bitten should go to and will only bite if it feels
a hospital for an antidote. threatened.

The Great Basin The Mojave
With its canyons, cliffs, mesas, and buttes, the This vast desert extends into central and
landscape of the Great Basin Desert appears northern Arizona. The Mojave is dry for most
most characteristic of the region. It extends from of the year, but a small amount of winter rain
the far northwest corner of Arizona into eastern results in a display of wild flowers in spring.
Utah and Oregon, and its scattering of cacti, Other flora and fauna found here include
sage, and mesquite is home to the bighorn creosote bush, cacti, yucca, jackrabbits, desert
sheep and various types of rattlesnake. tortoises, and bighorn sheep.
Sagebrush is
a pervasive The blacktailed jackrabbit is born
subshrub that with a full coat of muted fur to
covers vast areas camouflage it from predators
of the cooler such as the coyote.
Great Basin
Desert. It smells
of sage.

Golden eagles can be seen The Joshua tree was
high in the sky in daytime as named by Mormons who
they hunt for prey across pictured the upraised arms
the Great Basin Desert. of Joshua in its branches.

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