Death Valley, which is about 282 feet below sea level, is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere, and is in the Mojave Desert. It is also the hottest and the driest point in North America. In fact, it is the second hottest place on the Earth; 134 degrees Fahrenheit is the highest temperature ever recorded here. This region also consists of several high-rising mountain peaks, like the Telescopic peak, which is about 11,000 feet high.
This is the official reptile of the states of Nevada and California. It is the only member of the tortoise family in North America that is adapted to exist in the extreme climatic conditions. It digs underground burrows and stays there during the hottest climates. During the hottest climates it preserves the water that is already stored in its body. The desert tortoise intakes water from the moisture present in the grasses and other herbs it eats during the spring. To benefit from the rare rainfalls, it also builds catchments in the soil. Adult tortoises can survive for about a year without water.
Trees are not normally seen in deserts. But, the Joshua tree is an exception. It grows only in the Mojave Desert. It lives for about 200 years, and has spiky leaves that help it to adapt to the desert climate. It produces a fruit that is eaten by many desert animals. It is well adapted to the arid climate, with a very shallow root system that can quickly absorb rain, and spines that help to store water. The unique fact about the tree is the relationship it shares with the yucca moth, which has developed special organs to be the only creatures that can pollinate these trees.
Any compound of boron and oxygen that occurs naturally is a borate mineral. The borate minerals are rarely found. Due to the variations in temperature and pressure, borate minerals are deposited in the river basins of the Mojave Desert. Kramer, a part of the Mojave Desert and the Death Valley, has huge deposits of borate minerals, like kernite and borax.
