A strip of Mojave Desert, Joshua Tree National Park is an area with very little water, scorching sun, blowing sand, beautiful spring flowers at this time of the year and a profusion of boulders pilled up in curious ways resembling toy blocks in a gigantic, sandy playground. Despite its harsh conditions, though sparsely, desert-dwellers thrive in this habitat: several types of birds, jackrabbits, lizards, squirrels, rats, snakes, some curious beetles that do a 'headstand' when threatened, besides other animals such as foxes, iguanas, desert tortoises, bighorn sheep and the greater roadrunner - a strong bird that moves fast and captures lizards and rattlesnakes (it inspired the cartoon character Bip-Bip, remember?) Obviously this desert is famous for the gracious, strange-looking species of yucca which seemed to stretch their branches to show the pioneers what directions to take
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