Desert Critters, Up Close and Personal
If
you are a veteran visitor to these pages you are already familiar with
the work of Arizona naturalists Ralph and Boonmee Rose. They're back,
with a new twist. They've been going to the desert in the evening to photograph--up
close and personal--the critters that come out at night. See more of their
photos and learn about their techniques in the January issue of the online
magazine DesertUSA.
Is this
close enough for you? Boonmee is petting a Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus
lecontei).
Boonmee's Photograph
of Merriam's Kangaroo Rat (Dipodochys merriami), a very cute animal about
10 inches long (six inches of that length being his tail).
This is a Western
Banded Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus), a very brightly colored nocturnal
lizard, related to, and about the same size as, the "chinchuck"
of Southeast Asia.
