Lizards

• Many species of lizards live in the desert, some as small as 6 cm. and others as large as 3 feet. Their coloring blends in with the desert rocks upon which they like to sun themselves. The chuckwalla is the largest lizard and can be found in the southwestern United States. It is a herbivore and eats mainly plant life such as desert flowers and leaves.
  
  

Coyotes

• The coyote is a member of the canine family that lives and hunts in packs. They have have tan coats with brown, gray and black hairs. They can grow to 4 feet long and weigh as much as 30 pounds. They have great eyesight and a well-developed sense of smell.
  
  Coyotes eat rabbits as well as larger animals like antelope or sheep. Farmers often dislike coyotes because they sometimes hunt domestic grazing animals.
  
  

Bobcats

• The bobcat looks a lot like a large domestic cat. It can grow to 20 pounds and 2 feet tall. Its fur is reddish-brown, black, white and tan.
  
  Bobcats are excellent hunters that can hunt larger animals but usually focus on rabbits and rodents or prey that is weakened by sickness. Bobcats hunt and live alone.
  
  

Bighorn Sheep

• Bighorn sheep live in the desert mountain regions. They prefer steep, rocky territory where their predators have difficulty reaching them. They have very good eyesight, which allows them more time to move to higher ground to escape.
  
  They are usually dark brown, but their fur fades in the winter to help them blend in. Males have large, ridged horns that curl back toward their ears and circle back up again. Females have smaller horns.
  
  Bighorn sheep eat the grasses and other plant life of the desert.
  
  

Rattlesnakes

• There are many species of rattlesnakes, all of which can be found in the desert. Rattlesnakes have brown, dark brown and tan markings. The diamond-back rattlesnake has what its name suggests: a diamond pattern running down its back.
  
  Rattlesnakes eat rodents and rabbits. They can sense odors from the ground using their forked tongues (their noses are used simply for breathing) and can also detect heat from their prey. Rattlesnakes bite with venomous fangs that kill their prey before they swallow it whole.