The mission of the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens is to celebrate the value of animals and natural resources and to create opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature. One of the ways we are living up to that mission is by focusing on the lands and wildlife where we live here in the Chihuahuan Desert.

Here are two activities you and your children can do at home to help you better understand the Chihuahuan Desert.

1. Find the Desert Animal image – find all the animals in the image above showing common desert species at Big Bend National Park. To learn more about each species click the links below.

Javelina

Deer

Rattlesnake

Rabbit

Roadrunner

Coyote

Mountain lion

Turkey Vulture

2. Test your Chihuahuan Desert IQ playing the Chihuahuan Desert Dwellers online Game. Click here.

Cover – Big Bend National Park, Texas by Chris Pencis, Wikimedia Creative Commons