Mojave Max Emerged from his Burrow at 11:46 a.m. on March 22, 2002.

..

Congratulations Taylor Child, for winning the 2002 Mojave Max Emergence Contest. Taylor guessed that Mojave Max would emerge on March 22nd at 11:46 a.m.

Mojave Max is a live desert tortoise residing at the Red Rock National Conservation Area. Like other Mojave Desert desert tortoises, he enters a burrow to brumate (the reptilian form of hibernation) every winter and emerges every spring. Warmer temperatures, longer daylight hours, and an internal clock are factors known to contribute to his emergence every year. Mojave Max's habitat area received 4.18 inches of rain so far this year.

Above is a photo of Taylor in a classroom at Red Rock National Conservation Area where his class took a tour of Mojave Max's home and the beautiful area surrounding it.

Click here for video