This exhibit features stunning photographs by Paul Martini, a contemporary nature photographer whose images depict both the unspoiled beauty of our desert, in addition to capturing humanity's presence and impact on the landscape.  Paul Martini's photography incorporates fascinating contrasts of light and shadow, working in both color and black/white mediums.  He presents day and night photographs, the night images featuring the use of various forms of artificial lighting.  Many of the works were photographed in Joshua Tree National Park.  (Rainbow Panorama by Paul Martini shown above.)

  

Come celebrate the 61st annual Grubstake Days!  The Grubstake Days Parade begins at 10:00 a.m. and travels along Highway 62 from Apache Trail to Dumosa Avenue.  Following the parade is a community fair at the Community Center Complex including vendor booths, horseshoes tournament, beard growing contest, kickball tournament, and lots of family fun!

  

The Hi-Desert Nature Museum will be hosting an exciting scavenger hunt.  Figure out the puzzle and win a prize!  Also hands-on art demonstrations will be led by some of the talented artists from our current Yucca Valley High School Art Show.

  

The image of a coyote howling at the moon is synonymous with the desert.  Coyotes once lived only in prairies and deserts of the western United States and Mexico, but today they thrive throughout North America.  Adaptability is the key to the success of the coyote.  They are omnivores and will eat almost anything - including small mammals and reptiles, insects, fish, grasses, and nuts - and they adapt quickly to new environments.  In Native American stories coyotes are depicted as quick and clever, which is a well deserved reputation.  For example, coyotes scan the sky for birds flying in circles knowing that the birds often hover over a dead animal, so finding the birds frequently leads to finding a free meal.  

  

* The scientific name for coyote is Canis latrans, which means barking dog in Latin.

* When coyotes are about two years old, they select a mate and usually stay with that mate for life.

* Coyotes can woof, growl, bark, howl, and sing in a chorus.  In addition to sounds, coyotes communicate through body language and scent.

* Both parents care for the pups.  Parents chew food and swallow it, then bring it up again to feed the pups.

* Coyotes do not live in large packs as some wolves do.  If you see a group of 3-6 coyotes, it is likely a mated pair and their young, or perhaps a group of litter mates.

* Coyotes are nocturnal hunters and are valuable for rodent control.

Anyone who has visited the museum has probably met Sweet Pea, our antelope ground squirrel (shown left).  Sweet Pea has delighted museum visitors for 13 years!  We suspect that he is a candidate for the Guiness Book of World Records for oldest ground squirrel.

  

Since we lack large trees in most of the Mojave Desert, it's not surprising that our squirrels are ground dwellers.  The three most common ground squirrels in the Morongo Basin are the antelope ground squirrel, beechey ground squirrel, and round-tailed ground squirrel.  They all dig burrows to live in and retreat to for safety, but spend days on the surface when the temperature is moderate, foraging and sunning.  These squirrels are well adapted for digging in the dirt with sharp claws and small ears set lower on their heads than those of tree squirrels.  They are omnivores, but the bulk of their diet is vegetation.  Antelope ground squirrels are easily identified by the white stripe running along their body.  Beechey ground squirrels are the largest of our native species and can be a pest around the yard.  The round-tailed ground squirrel is a social animal, and although it resembles a tiny prairie dog, the two are not related.       

The Hi-Desert Nature Museum is located in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex at 57116 Twentynine Palms Highway.  The museum is open Tuesday - Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Admission is free; donations support the educational mission of the museum.  The Hi-Desert Nature Museum is operated by the Town of Yucca Valley. 

  

  

To view a full schedule of Yucca Valley events, sports programs and recreation classes visit the Town's web site at www.yucca-valley.org