Life in the Wild West

The West is an extreme place, filled with many different landscapes such as mountains, deserts, plains, and canyons. These extreme environments formed because of Noah’s flood. But God equipped humans with the smarts to tame this wild land, and he equipped creatures and plants with special features to survive the challenging terrain in our fallen world.

What better way to get to know the Wild West than to learn about the plants and animals that call it home?

Water Storage

Joshua trees aren’t trees at all—they are succulents, a type of plant that holds water in its stem or leaves. In the Mojave Desert, Joshua trees survive on very little water by storing moisture in their branches and thick stem, or trunk.

Save It for Later

The meat-eating Gila (HEE-luh) monster is the largest lizard in the US. It lives underground in the desert for over 90% of its life. When it emerges above ground, it is most likely hunting for food or basking in the sun. Gila monsters only eat three or four times a year, storing fat in their bulky tails for energy between meals.

Burrow In

The desert hairy scorpion lives in the deserts of the southwestern US. They dig burrows up to eight feet deep to beat the heat during the day. Once the sun sets, they leave their burrows to hunt for insects, spiders, lizards, and small snakes.

Sleepy Trees

Great Basin bristlecone pine trees grow high where no other plants grow. They survive severe cold, strong winds, and little rainfall by going into a dormant state (like hibernation), sometimes for several years. They only “wake up” when rain or snow falls again. This trick works super well—bristlecone pines are some of the oldest known organisms on earth!

The Nose Knows

Turkey vultures live all over North America, including the deserts of the southwestern US. They have the largest olfactory (ole-FAK-tor-ee) system of all birds, meaning they have an incredible sense of smell. They use their powerful noses to sniff out their favorite meal—decaying meat.

Hiking Boots

Mountain goats have feet perfectly suited for their rugged mountain homes. Pads that provide traction, cloven (divided) hooves, and claws on the tips of their feet keep them from slipping as they climb rocky cliffs.