For the first time ever, The Living Desert will welcome a primate species! We are thrilled to announce that a group of patas monkeys will be joining us in Village WaTuTu, with their grand opening set for November 1. Get ready to celebrate the arrival of these new residents with us and watch them explore their habitat!
The Patas Monkey Conservation is generously supported by Squire and Angela Junger. Yes, there are desert primates... and THEY'RE ARRIVING THIS FALL!
Introducing an event venue of an entirely different animal — The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens!
From lavish cocktail parties and dinners to intimate receptions and ceremonies, adventerous corporate events, meetings, or picnics, The Living Desert offers a setting unlike anywhere in the Coachella Valley.
For more information and to book a complimentary site tour, call 760-346-0301, or visit LivingDesert.org/PrivateEvent.
Discover a wildlocation for any occasion
The Living Desert is dedicated to educating the next generation of conservationists, safeguarding desert habitats, and ensuring the cherished desert species we love can thrive for generations to come.
You can also give stock, grants from Donor Advised Funds, or make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (up to $108,000) to maximize your tax benefits! These forms of giving are often more “tax-smart” than cash donations. Contact Donna Raider at (760) 674-4896 or DRaider@LivingDesert.org
ALEX GLICKMAN AND GAYLE WHITTEMORE, married for 14 years, have created a strong tradition of enjoyment and support for The Living Desert with their combined family of 4 adult kids and a 7-yearold grandson.
“The openness and constantly evolving habitats have always brought joy to our family,” says Alex, the Global Head of Real Estate and Hospitality for Gallagher, a Fortune 500 company. Her wife Gayle, now retired from a successful career as a CPA and CFO of several large non-profits, shares her commitment to the mission of The Living Desert. While they have been generous supporters for many years, in 2025 they united their passion for two additional communities they deeply care about with their ongoing support of The Living Desert.
Alex proposed the idea of PRIDE for the Pride (P4TP), a fundraising initiative that supports The Living Desert’s capital campaign effort to bring African lions to the Zoo and raise awareness of their critically endangered status. P4TP is a way for the LGBTQ+ community to take part in supporting this
effort as a unified, powerful group. “A pride of lions represents strength and resilience, which we believe also speaks to the LGBTQ+ community. We need our vibrant community to understand the value and impact that The Living Desert brings,” says Alex. To encourage interest and participation in PRIDE for the Pride, Alex and Gayle have established a $25,000 match, that will double the impact of P4TP donors. Additionally, Alex and Gayle feel a keen sense of commitment to military families, as their son-inlaw was a career Marine who spent many years stationed at MCAGCC 29 Palms. To support the families there, they have recently donated $10,000 to fund family memberships, as a tribute to their sacrifice.
Alex and Gayle are such a wonderful example of truly dedicated donors and supporters who have found ways to combine their passion and support for many worthy and diverse causes, ensuring that their philanthropy will have an even larger impact. We are grateful to have them as part of The Living Desert family.
When is a BIG Cat, not a “Big Cat”?
If you guessed the classification was based on size, you might be surprised to find out the major differentiator is actually the ability to roar! All cats have a bone in their throat, called the hyoid bone, that connects the roof of the mouth and the tongue. For big cats, like African lions, jaguars, and leopards, this bone is soft and flexible, enabling them to make a roaring sound. In small cats, the hyoid bone is hard and rigid, which means they purr instead of roar.
Don’t let size fool you! The smallest feline species, the black-footed cat, is statistically the top-ranked hunter of all cats. While the African lion, one of the largest cats, is the lowest-ranked hunter.
Owning exotic animals can put them in serious danger. Many suffer or die in the illegal pet trade, often during transport. Here’s how YOU can help!
Break up with the bad
Clean up your social media follows! Unfollow, unsubscribe, and report any suspicious content. Then, follow institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, like @TheLivingDesert, and legitimate rescue organizations instead!
Beware of what you share
Look at a page’s credentials before engaging so you do not accidentally bring positive attention to or demonstrate approval of inappropriate ownership of wild animals.
Limit what you “like”
Engaging with a post can popularize and increase demand for exotic pets and wild animal interaction. By avoiding your engagement with posts, you can limit their reach (and potential profits).
From
Carnivores to the core
Whether it is paté in a dish or a fresh catch in the grasslands, meat is always on the menu.
Chasing champs
From batting after a string to sprinting after an antelope, all cats are born to chase.
Territory markers
Caught your housecat scratching the couch? They have the same instincts that drive a mountain lion to scratch a tree — scent marking their turf.
Super sniffers
Cats have an amazing sense of smell. Your cat uses it to track down treats, while wild cats rely on it to find their next meal.
by Dr. James Danoff-Burg , Vice President of Conservation
IMAGINE A WORLD bursting with life, where endangered animals not only survive but thrive in their natural habitats! This is the inspiring vision driving the remarkable efforts to reestablish a healthy population of Sonoran pronghorn in the Chuckwalla National Monument, just east of the Coachella Valley, in Southern California. Once hunted to the brink of extinction nearly a century ago, these majestic creatures are on the verge of a comeback, thanks to a dedicated initiative funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and led by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). This ambitious project is meticulously preparing the landscape and uncovering the essential insights needed for the successful reintroduction of these magnificent animals.
The success of this project hinges on two interconnected and equally vital phases: careful preparation of the reintroduction site through thorough feasibility studies and advanced data analysis, and a deep scientific understanding of the factors that influence pronghorn survival. Together, these elements will guide future management decisions and pave the way for a brighter future for the Sonoran pronghorn.
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK: The Feasibility Study and Site Characterization
The initial phase of the project is a comprehensive feasibility study aimed at understanding and preparing the Chuckwalla Bench area for the pronghorn’s return. The Living Desert began this exploration with a series of intense site visits, where researchers traveled to twentyone locations along main roads to characterize the area. During these visits, our scientists carefully documented both the physical features and biological components of the landscape. In this striking landscape, we recorded all the
essential physical and geological attributes including all the human created ones like development and solar projects.
Simultaneously, we aggregated biological components to provide a holistic view of the habitat. The Chuckwalla Bench is extremely biologically diverse, so the species that make up the plant communities are jaw-dropping, particularly for an area as dry as this. Also, we needed to see how natural communities have been affected by human activity, including direct activities like illegal hunting and damaging roads and indirect activities like the spread of non-native invasive plant species.
A crucial realization early in the project was that traditional ▶
Once hunted to the brink of extinction nearly a century ago, these majestic creatures are on the verge of a comeback.
The multifaceted approach of the Sonoran pronghorn project exemplifies our passionate commitment to conservation.
vegetation maps alone were inadequate and often inaccurate indicators of habitat quality for Sonoran pronghorn populations. Since these animals require vast territories to thrive, we conducted numerous meetings with the broader Sonoran pronghorn recovery and California reintroduction teams. These collaborations are vital in establishing better parameters to support management decisions during the preparatory phase and
in ongoing monitoring after the animals are released.
A significant aspect of this preparatory work is a large Geographic Information System (GIS) project. Our team has actively collected and compiled a wealth of spatial data from the Chuckwalla Bench area, including aspects ranging from the soil erosion potential to roads and
Our comprehensive strategy paves the way for the Sonoran pronghorn’s triumphant return, transforming a vision of survival into a lasting story of thriving in their historic homeland.
plants present to the locations of water sources both natural and artificial.
This extensive spatial data will help develop predictive models, forecasting where the Sonoran pronghorn will likely roam and how they will navigate their landscape upon reintroduction. Once the pronghorns are released, tracking their movement will further refine these models, enhancing our understanding of their habitat needs and preferences within this unique ecosystem. Our team has compiled and analyzed georeferenced spatial data, providing invaluable insights for collaboration with federal and other partners.
An ongoing and intensive challenge involves evaluating the condition of water sources — known as drinkers and guzzlers — across the Chuckwalla Bench. We inspected drinkers in the northern part of the bench, but a significant hurdle is that only those accessible to small wildlife have been found so far. This means that potential drinkers for the Sonoran pronghorn still need additional assessments. With approximately 200 drinkers in the greater Chuckwalla Bench area, this vital work will continue. The team is already in discussions with the California Sonoran pronghorn group to identify and prioritize areas for drinker assessments before the animals are released.
The long-term goal? To be fully prepared for the reintroduction of the Sonoran pronghorn into Chuckwalla Bench soon! Regular meetings with the Sonoran
The Living Desert is proud to announce the launch of the AZA SAFE program for the Peninsular pronghorn, co-led by Mike Barnes, Director of Animal Care, and Dr. Luis Ramirez, Curator of Conservation. This program aims to support the species’ survival by providing financial, husbandry, management, and veterinary assistance to the last wild population at El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve in Baja California, Mexico. The program will also leverage the AZA-managed population to raise awareness, serve as an assurance population, and help secure the future of this critically important desert species.
pronghorn group, primarily based in Arizona, ensure consistent progress and that project results are shared and understood.
A recent development that adds excitement to this initiative was our Curator of Conservation, Dr. Luis Ramirez’s attendance at a specialized workshop in Yuma, Arizona. This workshop focused on predictive models for Sonoran pronghorn habitat, led by experts from the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute. The aim? To enhance and refine models assessing current and potential future habitats across the species’ historical range in Arizona and California. A key takeaway from analyzing these models, which were developed using data from collared animals in Arizona, is the critical understanding that successful reintroduction efforts in California depend significantly on improving and expanding water sources
throughout the Chuckwalla Bench area — a key task on which we were focused.
Given the unique ecological features of this region, a reliable and sufficient water supply is essential to support the newly reintroduced pronghorn. Therefore, upgrading existing water infrastructure and finding new sources is crucial to ensuring these animals have the resources they need to survive and thrive. Without these key improvements, the reintroduction could face significant challenges. Plans are underway to collaborate with USFWS staff in California and the new CDFW pronghorn and elk program leader to identify optimal locations for new or enhanced water sources while minimizing potential negative impacts on desert tortoises. This is vital because increased water sources might attract predatory ravens that could threaten tortoise populations.
The multifaceted approach of the Sonoran pronghorn reestablishment project in the Chuckwalla Bench, California, exemplifies our passionate commitment to conservation. By effectively combining thorough feasibility studies and advanced spatial modeling with innovative research into survival factors, our work is laying a solid foundation for success. The insights gained from detailed site assessments, along with the critical importance of improving water sources and a deep understanding of how drought, human impact, and individual experience influence pronghorn survival, will directly guide decisions for a successful and enduring reintroduction. Our comprehensive strategy paves the way for the Sonoran pronghorn’s triumphant return, transforming a vision of survival into a lasting story of thriving in their historic homeland.
By Sandy McClung, Curator of Volunteer and Interpretive Programs
WHEN THE LIVING
made the exciting decision to reimagine the Bighorn Railroad to reflect the Coachella Valley, it came with a unique challenge: how do you recreate the region’s most iconic landmarks — at a fraction of the size?
Thankfully, the answer was found in the dedication, talent, and creativity of the Zoo’s incredible Trains Volunteers. With a variety of backgrounds and skillsets, the
team was ready to take on the ambitious task of building detailed, scale-model versions of local landmarks for the beloved exhibit.
The process began with research — and lots of it. Volunteers and staff pored over photos of each building, examining details from every angle. Often, you would find these images tacked up around the Train Depot, where they served as reference material for planning. From there, volunteer Rick led the charge,
using the images and any additional online resources to draft detailed architectural blueprints by hand.
Next, those blueprints were traced onto plywood. With help from our maintenance team, the various pieces were carefully cut out and returned to the Depot for assembly. Following Rick’s plans, the volunteers nailed, glued, and shaped each piece to begin forming a structure that closely mirrored its real-life counterpart.
But it is the detail work that truly brings the buildings to life. Each model was painted to match the original, with painstaking color matching and hand-painted finishes. Roofing materials — such as miniature slate tiles, corrugated metal, or stone-like laminate — are selected or custom-made to match the textures and finishes of the actual buildings. Even plants, signage, and other exterior accents are crafted or 3D printed to ensure accuracy. Finally, the structure was
mounted on cement board and installed in its designated spot on the trains layout.
Each building requires an estimated 40 to 80 work hours to complete — an incredible investment of time, skill, and passion. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our remarkable volunteers who continue to pour their talents into making the Bighorn Railroad a true celebration of the Coachella Valley.
Become a Main Street Supporter by adopting a building in the Trains exhibit. For those interested in showcasing their business as part of the miniature Coachella Valley, sponsorship opportunities are available.
Please contact our team at Development@LivingDesert.org to learn more.
JA NI CE AND AUS TI N did not grow up in the Coachella Valley — but after marrying near Joshua Tree, they fell in love with the desert’s magic In 2018, they made Palm Desert their home, drawn by its beauty and community spirit. Janice, a dedicated physician associate at Desert Orthopedic Center, and Austin, a full-time dad and day trader, now raise their two boys just down the street from The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
Their days often begin with tennis at Shadow Mountain Tennis Club, and end with bike rides to the Zoo, no car needed. “The Living Desert is our backyard,” they say. “We can go from breakfast to the front gate in under ten minutes.”
Zoo membership became a lifeline after their children were born. “It’s hours of entertainment for the boys and peace of mind for us,” Austin shares. From toddler classes
to splash pads and immersive exhibits, the Zoo offers more than fun it offers connection. “We’re not just visitors — we’re part of The Living Desert family,” Janice adds. “The staff know our kids by name It’s low-stress, high-reward, and always evolving.”
For this family, The Living Desert isn’t just a destination, it’s home
Do you remember your very first visit to The Living Desert?
We did not know what to expect our first time at the Zoo. We were both extremely impressed with the diversity of animals, size and quality of their habitats, the enrichment activities, and, above all, how accessible everything was. It felt as if we had snuck behind the scenes of a much larger zoo on Christmas morning: zookeepers, staff and volunteers were sharing their time and expertise with us
totally unprompted; there were no lines anywhere.
What does being a member at the Zoo mean to your family?
People think about the desert as a retirement community, but what many don’t realize is there is a vibrant, involved, young-family community as well, and for us, The Living Desert is a central meeting place. Everyone we know is a member, it’s a perfect spot for playdates, meeting classmates after school, or just running into new friends. Being a member opens an easy way to connect with the community in an environment that is as fun and stimulating for growing minds as it is for their parents.
How has the Zoo inspired your kids’ curiosity or interests?
The impact of the expansive train exhibit and the engagement of the train volunteers cannot be overstated. Our children have learned to watch for engine and car changes daily, hold discussions with adults and ask questions about the mechanics and difficulties unique to running trains in the desert, and then turn and teach us what they’ve learned. This has boosted their confidence and creativity — skills noted both by us and their teachers.
What would you tell someone who’s thinking about becoming a member?
Do it today! There is a world-class zoo hidden in a corner of our little Valley; you can spend your morning five feet away from the most majestic animals on Earth, then have lunch with some bighorn sheep, check out the model trains and still be home in time for a nap. There is no better investment for a desert resident than a membership at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens.
Starting October 1
The Living Desert returns to its regular operating hours of 8:00am-5:00pm daily, with last admission at 4:00pm. The hiking trails and carousel will also resume regularly scheduled operating hours.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00am-9:00am
Join The Living Desert’s members-only walking program and choose between a ¾ mile stroll or a 1¼ mile journey to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Zoo, alongside your fellow members. Visit LivingDesert.org/ Membership to become a member.
Starting October 3:
Tuesdays and Fridays, 9:30am-10:30am
This interactive, parent participation program is designed for toddlers and their accompanying adults. This program is free with membership or paid park admission. No advance registration is required, so drop in anytime!
Starting October 13:
Every Monday - Thursday, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Join us at Bighorn Cafe for exclusive drink specials and discounted bites! Access is included with your membership or paid park admission; food and beverages are an additional fee.
Starting October 4:
The first Saturday of the month, 9:00am-10:00am
Back by popular demand, this membersonly event offers you the unique opportunity to hear first-hand stories about conservation projects and in-field
Visit LivingDesert.org/Events or scan the QR code for more information about upcoming events.
adventures from the teams leading the charge – while enjoying a complimentary coffee and pastry! The event kicks off October 4 and will be held the first Saturday of each month running through April 4. Visit LivingDesert.org/Events to learn more.
9:00am-12:30pm
October 17
November 14 December 12 January 23 February 20 March 20
The Living Desert is thrilled to offer ZooCamp for the young and wild at heart. During this unique adult camp, participants will discover the wonder of the deserts, with exclusive encounters, hands-on programming and even craft time! Registration is now open, visit LivingDesert.org/ZooCamp to learn more.
October 25, 26, 9:00am-3:00pm Celebrate the spooky season at the Zoo’s annual Halloween weekend event. Guests can enjoy family-friendly activities, costumes, trick-or-treat stations, and seasonal surprises at this fan-favorite celebration. This event is free for members or with paid park admission.
Starting October 1, The Living Desert will be a cashless facility.
For your convenience, reverse ATMs will be available on-site to convert cash to a prepaid debit card.
Learn more at LivingDesert.org/Visit
October 11, 9:00am-12:00pm
Purchase your own California native desert plants — propagated on-site at The Living Desert — to start your own home garden!
This plant sale is open to the public and does not include admission to the Zoo.
November 24-26, 8:30am-12:30pm
Three-day camp for grades K-6.
K-1: Little Vets
Join us for hands-on animal-themed fun, exploration, and learning.
2-3: Come Fly with Me
Learn why some birds migrate and how others adapt in our ever-changing world.
4-6: Global Guardians
Prepare to explore, learn, and become a champion for wildlife conservation!
December 22 and 29, 8:30am-12:30pm
One-day camp for grades K-10.
Registration opens November 1, 2025
K-1: Wild Claws
Dive into the mysterious and majestic world of wild cats!
2-3: Animal Engineers
Learn more amazing examples of biomimicry, as well as other animal influenced gadgets and gizmos in this one-day camp.
4-6: Down to the Root
Get ready to dig deep, discover the science of gardening, and make a positive impact!
7-10: Beyond the Bite
Explore animal digestive systems, analyze dental structures, diets, and adaptations. Understand how zookeepers apply this knowledge for optimal animal care.
Member Preview Night: November 24
Select Nights: November 25 - December 30
Returning for its 33rd season, this year’s WildLights brings new festive features along with seasonal fan-favorites.
January 10
Celebrate the deserts of the world, along with all the flora and fauna that call them home, with special activities, tours, and connections..
January 16-18
Don't miss this eye-opening opportunity to hear first-hand stories from the world's leading conservation experts. Feautring Keynote Speaker, Paul Rosolie.
Explore the world’s wild places with The Living Desert with exclusive experiences led by senior staff and local guides. Learn about the remarkable species you will see along your journey, and the conservation efforts to protect them. Each trip is hosted by knowledgeable experts and limited to only 16 travelers, making every excursion intimate and informative.
Visit LivingDesert.org/Travel to join us for Travel Night on November 4 and learn about our upcoming trips!
From a cardboard box to their fur-ever home, scan this QR code to see the roadtrip that brought the bobcats to the Zoo!
For more on David and JoAnn, see page 6!
Member Preview Night
November 24
Select Nights
November 25 through December 30
Tickets on sale soon!
The 33rd annual WildLights will feature festive fan favorites and sparkling new displays!