Mojave Max emerges from burrow, marking beginning of spring-like weather in Southern Nevada
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Southern Nevada’s famous desert tortoise, Mojave Max, officially emerged from his burrow Tuesday afternoon, marking the beginning of spring-like weather in Southern Nevada.
Mojave Max emerged at 3:09 p.m. on April 23, one day earlier than in 2023 when he emerged on April 24. The earliest he has ever emerged was on Feb. 15, 2005, at 11: 55 a.m.
Mojave Max lives a the Las Vegas Springs Preserve and like other Southern Nevada reptiles, he enters a burrow to brumate every winter and emerges every spring.
Mojave Max’s emergence typically marks the beginning of spring-like weather in Southern Nevada. Warmer temperatures, longer daylight hours, and his own internal clock are factors known to contribute to his emergence every year, according to the Department of Environment and Sustainability.
Mojave Max, Southern Nevada’s famous desert tortoise and weather prognosticator, officially emerged from his burrow on April 23, 2024, at 3:09 p.m. The latest day he has ever emerged was last year on April 24th. The earliest he has emerged was Feb. 14, 2005, at 11:55 a.m. Credit: Clark County Desert Conservation Program Mojave Max, Southern Nevada’s famous desert tortoise and weather prognosticator, officially emerged from his burrow on April 23, 2024, at 3:09 p.m. The latest day he has ever emerged was last year on April 24th. The earliest he has emerged was Feb. 14, 2005, at 11:55 a.m. Credit: Clark County Desert Conservation Program Mojave Max, Southern Nevada’s famous desert tortoise and weather prognosticator, officially emerged from his burrow on April 23, 2024, at 3:09 p.m. The latest day he has ever emerged was last year on April 24th. The earliest he has emerged was Feb. 14, 2005, at 11:55 a.m. Credit: Clark County Desert Conservation Program
As part of the annual Mojave Max Emergence Contest, elementary school students throughout Clark County have been studying Mojave Desert weather, temperatures and conditions to scientifically estimate when they believed Mojave Max would emerge from his burrow in 2024.
Their guesses were entered online and the official winner of the Mojave Max Emergence Contest will be announced soon, the department said.
The winning student will receive prizes including a year-long family membership to the Springs Preserve, an “America the Beautiful” year-long family pass to National Parks and Federal Recreation areas, and a laptop computer.
The winner’s entire class will receive Olympic-style medals and T-shirts as well as a trophy for their school, and a field trip, with a pizza party, to the Springs Preserve to meet the live Mojave Max tortoise. The winning student’s teacher will also receive a laptop computer.
“The Mojave Max education program has been a staple in our community for 24 years,” Marci Henson, Director of the Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability said. “Each year thousands of Clark County elementary school students learn the importance of the threatened desert tortoise, why it is considered a keystone species, and the value of respecting and protecting our delicate desert ecosystem. Students who are currently learning desert conservation and wildlife protection through this program have parents who remember Mojave Max coming to their school when they were young. We are looking forward to celebrating the 25th anniversary of the program next year”.
The Emergence Contest has taken place every year since 2000 and more than 4,100 guesses were received during 2024’s Emergence Contest.
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