The Sidewinder Rattlesnake Dominates the Desert

The Algodones Sand Dunes of Southern California stretch for 40 miles, creating a landscape more typical of the Sahara Desert. Little grows here and few animals manage to survive. And yet reptiles have conquered the desert. While a sand storm rages overhead, a desert pocket mouse takes shelter in its underground burrows. But the sidewinder rattlesnake pays the storm no heed. He is a master at moving through the liquid sand. He glides effortlessly across the dunes in search of food. A banded gecko makes a narrow escape, thanks to his cold-blooded body melting invisibly into the sea of sand. But a kangaroo rat’s body glows with heat so it must put up a more vigorous defense if it is to escape the sidewinder’s hunger

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