By james art 
For 44 years, I have spent a lot of time in the company of the desert creatures that live outside my home in St. George, Utah. This number does not include my frequent visits to this area as a young man growing up in Iron County. At the time, I did not appreciate the uniqueness of the environment I was invading. Now I do. Washington County is an area of unusual biodiversity. An impressive variety of plants and animals call Dixie Utah home.
Over 100 species of plants and animals found here exist nowhere else in Utah. This extraordinary biodiversity is the result of several factors working together to create a unique environment. Washington County’s biologically diverse environment cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.
Today on the trail I pondered the reason for such incredible biodiversity that I was experiencing. Three major geophysical features collide and overlap here. The Great Basin Desert invades from the north and the Mojave Desert from the south. The Colorado Plateau, a semi-desert, enters from the east. Each of these deserts brings with it its own unique complement of plants and animals, making Washington County a melting pot of biodiversity.
In addition to the confluence of these three deserts, the incredible local topography also plays a role in the diversity of life here. Washington County’s elevation ranges from 1,800 to 10,365 feet above sea level, creating a number of different life zones affected by elevation change. Erosion is also a contributing factor from the created lanes and canyons that provide additional habitat diversity.
I wonder about this environment as I stand in one place and see around me plants that originated in each of these very different desert environments. This same experience is reflected in the wildlife I encounter as I hike the trails at Red Cliffs Wilderness Preserve. Today I came across young and adult Chuckwallas basking on the exposed sandstone or aggressively dismembering a desert marigold plant to enjoy its blooms.
Tiger Whiptail Lizards dart back and forth on the trail in front of me, while Side Spotted Lizards casually watch me pass from the edge of the trail. At one point I had to change my path slightly to avoid a desert horned lizard that was lying motionless on the trail. I deliberately observe carefully off the trail, spotting the occasional leopard lizard in the sand or a desert spiny lizard on top of a cliff. Today was a good day for Mojave Desert Tortoises as I observed three along my route. Everyone was looking for food not far from the path.
Today was a great day to be in the desert, but I’ll be back again tomorrow. The desert is an amazing therapist. And the price of the therapy is extremely acceptable. Who wouldn’t be wild about that?
I’m Professor Marshall Topham and I’m crazy about Utah.
Credits:
Images courtesy and copyright
Featured Audio: Courtesy & © Courtesy & Copyright © Anderson, Howe, Wakeman
Text: Marshall Topham,
Further reading: Lyle Bingham, https://bridgerlandaudubon.org/
Additional reading
Wild About Utah pieces by Marshall Topham https://wildaboututah.org/author/marshall-topham/
Washington County Utah https://www.washco.utah.gov/
Snow Canyon State Park, Utah State Parks,