Lydia Pagel grew up in El Paso. She says that she never really appreciated the desert until she went to college and got a degree in Biology. Today she is an Interpretive Ranger at Franklin Mountains State Park. Like so many people who discover the natural beauty of our area and start learning the names of the wild animals and plants that live here, it is obvious when you meet Lydia that she is passionate about telling others about the desert. You might meet Lydia in the new visitor center at the Tom Mays section of the Park on your next visit. Between now and then check out the live Facebook presentation she did at the Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta this past September. We have uploaded it on the Zoo Education YouTube channel.

One of the goals of the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens is to help people connect to the natural world where we live. Last year we opened a new Chihuahuan Desert Exhibit where you can encounter native wildlife and plants of our region and learn more about where to see many of them in the wild. Franklin Mountains State Park in El Paso is an excellent place to begin your journey.