These animals have devised means of functioning in high temperatures. In fact, some lizards are active with a body temperature of over 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Birds, especially the morning dove, goldfinch, and house finches, live only near a water supply. These birds use water copiously and have developed no adaptations for water saving. Bats, flycatchers, vireo, and warblers are primarily insect eaters.
Insects conserve moisture thereby providing their predators with needed fluids.
Succulent vegetation, such as yucca pods, flower parts, and cactus fruits also provide moisture. Birds, as well as reptiles and mammals, of the desert have dry skin in which dead cells layer at the surface to resist evaporation. Animals of the Mojave must also deal with predators, erratic rainfall, low temperatures and high winds. From the survival arts of the Southern Paiute to the dramatic weaving of the Navajo and the Beautiful carving of the Hopi, our exhibits on Native Artistry help the visitor to appreciate not only the beauty of objects but their personal and spiritual value. The Southern Paiute left behind tools, pottery, weapons and other evidence of daily life that have allowed archeologists to reconstruct their story.