Mojave Desert Animals

The Mojave Desert spans the states of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona in the Southeastern regions of the United States. Despite its unforgiving climate and environment, this desert is home to a wide variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, and even some amphibians and fishes.

Multiple wildlife sanctuaries, including the Mojave National Preserve and the Joshua Tree National Park, protect all these animals with unique adaptations and habitats. Most of them are native to these regions. At the same time, typical invasive animals of the country, like the American Bullfrogs, can also be found.

List of Different Types of Animals Found in the Mojave Desert

Mammals

Desert Bighorn Sheep
Kit Fox
Desert Cottontail
Desert Kangaroo Rat
Black-tailed Jackrabbit
Coyote
Mountain Lion
Bobcat
Gray Fox
Mule Deer
Desert Woodrat
White-tailed Antelope Squirrel
California Ground Squirrel
Round-tailed Ground Squirrel
Rock Squirrel
Mohave Ground Squirrel
Western Gray Squirrel
Merriam’s Kangaroo Rat
Desert Pocket Mouse
Southern Grasshopper Mouse
Desert Shrew
American Badger
Ringtail
Desert Hedgehog
Desert Pocket Gopher
Spotted Skunk
Western Spotted Bat
Pallid Bat
California Myotis
Townsend’s Big-eared Bat
California Leaf-nosed Bat
Western Pipistrelle

Birds

Greater Roadrunner
American Kestrel
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Costa’s Hummingbird
Cactus Wren
Gambel’s Quail
Great Horned Owl
Burrowing Owl
Hooded Oriole
Inca Dove
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
LeConte’s Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Phainopepla
Red-tailed Hawk
Say’s Phoebe
Western Bluebird
Western Kingbird
Western Meadowlark
White-crowned Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Desert Sparrow
California Towhee
Common Raven
Golden Eagle
Horned Lark
White-throated Swift

Reptiles

Desert Tortoise
Chuckwalla
Gila Monster
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Sidewinder
Mojave Rattlesnake
Coachwhip Snake
California Kingsnake
Mojave Patch-nosed Snake
Mohave Green Rattlesnake
Desert Horned Viper
Speckled Rattlesnake
Western Threadsnake
Desert Iguana
Side-blotched Lizard
Zebra-tailed Lizard
Collared Lizard
Horned Lizard
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard
Western Fence Lizard
Mojave Desert Fringe-toed Lizard
Western Banded Gecko
Desert Spiny Lizard
Common Checkered Whiptail

Amphibians

Red-spotted Toad
Couch’s Spadefoot Toad
Great Basin Spadefoot Toad
California Treefrog
Pacific Treefrog
American Bullfrog
Sonoran Desert Toad
Arizona Toad

Fishes

Desert Pupfish
Saratoga Springs Pupfish
Shoshone Pupfish
Tecopa Pupfish
Death Valley Pupfish
Devils Hole Pupfish
Owens Pupfish
Mohave Tui Chub
Desert Sucker

Insects

Desert Tarantula
Black Widow
Bark Scorpion
Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion
Desert Centipede
Harvester Ant
Desert Katydid
Desert Clicker

FAQ

1. What are the most dangerous animals in the Mojave Desert?

The place is full of dangerous carnivores like the mountain lion and coyote, while the multiple rattlesnakes found here are no less deadly. Additionally, there are insects like the desert tarantula, black widow, and giant desert hairy scorpion that would rank high on any list of dangerous animals.

2. Are there any endangered animals in the Mojave Desert?

Like all the other tortoise species, the desert tortoise is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN. Apart from that, the desert bighorn sheep and the desert pupfish are two other animals from the Mojave Desert considered to be threatened.