Mojave Maxine Desert Tortoise Emergence Contest Now Open

Calling all students/youth group members near the Southern California high desert (Inyo, Imperial, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, Ventura and Kern counties)!  The annual "Mojave Maxine Emergence Contest" is now open for student entries.  Determine the date and time when you think Mojave Maxine the desert tortoise will emerge from her hiberation burrow, and have the possibility of winning a $50 gift certificate, a Federal Lands pass, t-shirts for you and your class, and a $100 gift certificate for your teacher.  For more information and to enter, visit http://www.mojavemax.com/ .

"Mojave Maxine" Turtle Emergence Contest Open

Any K-12 student in 9 Southern California counties, including Los Angeles, Kern, and San Bernardino, can participate in the "Mojave Maxine Emergence Contest" to predict when the desert tortoise will emerge from her burrow for the first time in 2012.  Similar to the groundhog "Punxatawny Phil," Maxine, a desert tortoise which lives at the Living Desert Zoo in Palm Desert, tends to emerge with warmer weather and longer days. 

Students may enter one time in the contest.  Winners (with the closest date/time to her actual emergence from her burrow) will win a $50 gift certificate, a Federal Lands Pass, a visit from Maxine, Mojave Maxine t-shirts for their class, and a $100 gift certificate for their teacher.

For more information on the contest and to enter, visit http://www.mojavedata.gov/contest/.