Mojave Max Emerged from his Burrow at 11:34 a.m. on March 26, 2007.

.

Congratulations Lilly Rosser , for winning the 2007 Mojave Max Emergence Contest. Lilly guessed that Mojave Max would emerge on March 26th at 11:33 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.

Students across Clark County have been anxiously awaiting Mojave Max’s 2007 emergence and the announcement of this year’s contest winner.   Mojave Max officially emerged on March 26th at 11:34 a.m.   The unusually cool spring temperatures contributed to Mojave Max’s latest emergence on record.

Mojave Max's emergence marks the beginning of spring weather in Southern Nevada . While the weather forecasts for the next week contain predictions of rain, according to Mojave Max, residents of the Las Vegas area will soon be enjoying sunshine and warm weather.

As part of the annual Mojave Max Emergence Contest, students study Mojave Desert weather, temperatures, and conditions to scientifically estimate when they believed Mojave Max will first emerge from his burrow . They enter their guesses on line at www.mojavemax.com. The entries are tabulated and the official winner will be announced. The winning student will receive a variety of prizes including a Golden Eagle Park Pass and a Playstation 2. The winner's entire class will receive a field trip to Mojave Max's habitat, Mojave Max Olympic style medals, t-shirts, and passes to a theme park.

“One lucky child in my district really hit the jackpot, beating out more than 6,000 other students and being only one minute off from the actual emergence time,” said Commissioner Susan Brager, who represents the area where the school is located. “But this is more than a contest. It’s an educational experience aimed at improving students’ understanding of our desert environment.”