The Forgotten Survivors
	Well they're not really forgotten, we just didn't have enough time to make shows about ALL of our Desert Survivors. So here are a few that haven't yet landed those big time movie roles.
	The amargosa toad, Bufo nelsoni, is one of Nevada's endemic species, or perhaps subspecies. Scientists still haven't decided if Bufo nelsoni is a species of its own or a subspecies of Bufo boreas, the western toad. Either way, these cute little critters are found only one place in the state of Nevada. If you believe they Bufo nelsoni to be a distinct species, then they are only found in one place in the world. The Amargosa Valley north of Pahrump is the only known habitat for this endangered animal.
	Dragon flies, suborder Anisoptera, are one of our aggressive little pond goers. Their larvae, or babies, develop in the water and are ferocious predators. So even as adults, they don't get too far from standing water! The come in all sorts of beautiful colors and a wide variety of sizes.
	Though they look like miniature horseshoe crabs, these little desert pond critters are not crabs at all! The tadpole shrimp, or Triops, is a crustacean that finds its home in desert ponds called tinajas. They are ferocious predators and tend to chase all the other pond inhabitants. When their ponds dry up, they survive as desiccation tolerant cysts.
	Caddis flies are shy little Desert Survivors. The day they hatch in the water, they hurry about and gather small pieces of sand and detritus (leaves and other organic material). They glue all these little pieces together with their sticky saliva (spit) and make themselves a little case. They live inside their case and as they grow, they add more materials to the outer brim. Eventually, they will pupate and metamorphose into adult caddis flies that look very much like moths.
	These enormous moths are often mistaken for humming birds in the early evening sky. They dart about and may even dive-bomb you if sit out on your porch just after the sun sets in the summer time. They are the largest flying insects in the Mojave Desert, with a wingspan anywhere from 5cm to 20cm (2 to 8 inches)!
	The black toad, Bufo exsul, is endemic to the Mojave and happens to be endangered as well. They are naturally found in only one location: Deep Springs near Bishop, California. Though they have been found in Death Valley, it is thought that they were introduced.
	Tree frogs in the Mojave? The Pseudacris regilla, or pacific chorus tree frog (once known as Hyla regilla), is found in all sorts of varieties all over southern California, northern Arizona, and southern Nevada. In southern Nevada, they are most common in mountain streams, like First Creek and Pine Creek in Red Rock Canyon.
	Many people mistake them for large chipmunks (but notice they do not dorn lines on their fuzzy faces), but they are actually ground squirrels with little wispy tails. One of the world's finest hibernators, the golden-mantled ground squirrel is found all over the western United States. In the Mojave they can be found in mountian regions like the Spring Range, which includes the familiar Mt. Charleston.
	The elusive desert chicken is a rare sight; there is only one in the entire world! She only comes out on February 30th. If she sees her shadow she goes back into her shrubbery and does not emerge again until the next February 30th.
		White Tail Antelope Ground squirrel
		Woodrats
		Palmer's Chipmunk
		Southern Grasshopper Mouse or Scorpion Mouse
		Botta Pocket Gophers
		Long Tailed Weasels
		Shasta's Ground Sloth (Pleistocene)
		Columbian Mammoth (Pleistocene)
		Sabre Toothed Cat (Pleistocene)
		Dire Wolves (Pleistocene)
		Pygmy Cotton Tails (Pleistocene)
		kangaroo rats
		Kangaroo mice