Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition

by Rick LoBello, Conference ChairGreetings from the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens.  On behalf of our City of El Paso team at the Zoo and our colleagues across the city I want to personally invite you to El Paso’s Third Chihuahuan Desert Conference on November 15-16, 2023.  The conference will bring together researchers andContinue reading "Chihuahuan Desert Conference Update – Registration Ends on November 1"

This heard of oryx was photographed within city limits by John Kiseda, Animal Curator of the El Paso Zoo. Enjoy reading about our amazing Chihuahuan Desert. Sign up for a free subscription to our blog By Rick LoBello, Board Member Introduced oryx are endangering native grasslands in Texas and New Mexico Over 50 years ago the NewContinue reading "Did you know that African antelope live wild and free here in El Paso?"

Creosote bush and lechuguilla dominate the landscape along the Lost Dog Trail. Enjoy reading about our amazing Chihuahuan Desert. Sign up for a free subscription to our blog The creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) is emblematic of the American southwest and Mexico, occurring in vast monospecific (one species) stands across thousands of square miles of theContinue reading "Plants of the Chihuahuan Desert: creosote bush"

Turkey Vulture By Rick LoBello, Board Member Enjoy reading about our amazing Chihuahuan Desert. Sign up for a free subscription to our blog With a face that only a mother could love, the Turkey Vulture is one of the most common large birds living here in our big backyard and the Chihuahuan Desert. I first came toContinue reading "Meet your neighbors: the Turkey Vulture"

Enjoy reading about our amazing Chihuahuan Desert. Sign up for a free subscription to our blog “We Belong Together” Campaign Launches, Highlighting the Integral Connection between Endangered Bats, Local Communities, and the Restoration of Agave Habitat across North America. Over the past few years the Zoo and Bat Conservation International have been collaborating on a new effort to helpContinue reading "Protecting and restoring landscapes for agaves aids in bat conservation"

By Rick LoBello, Board Member Enjoy reading about our amazing Chihuahuan Desert. Sign up for a free subscription to our blog Of the thirty different mammal species known to the Chihuahuan Desert eco-region here in the Franklin Mountains and surrounding lower elevations, two of the more common species are members of the Order Lagomorpha – Hares (jackrabbits)Continue reading "Meet your neighbors: the desert cottontail"

Enjoy reading about our amazing Chihuahuan Desert. Sign up for a free subscription to our blog By Rick LoBello, Board Member High and increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may be the single greatest threat to the future of life on earth. Unfortunately many people are not involved in helping to lower the impact ofContinue reading "A big problem: carbon dioxide can only be seen with special cameras"

Calliope Hummingbird Enjoy reading about our amazing Chihuahuan Desert. Sign up for a free subscription to our blog Most people in El Paso who are paying attention to their backyard birds have noticed that hummingbirds are back for the summer breeding season.  If you have not seen any yet try putting out a hummingbird feeder.  Hummingbird feedersContinue reading "Hummingbirds"