Why a Tortoise Decides When Spring Starts in Vegas

Mojave Max is Las Vegas’s most elusive celebrity… literally. Like all desert tortoises, he spends 95% of his life underground. But as every Vegas schoolchild knows, the day that Mojave Max emerges from his winter brumation (that’s the reptilian version of hibernation), spring officially begins. Today on City Cast Las Vegas, as we await Mojave Max’s return, we’re bringing back a favorite conversation from last spring: Co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with Audrie Locke from the Clark County Desert Conservation Program to talk about how Mojave Max came to be, why you should never pick up a tortoise (spoiler: they’ll pee on you), and why these hard-shelled friends are surprisingly fragile, much like our desert ecosystem.

Have you ever guessed Mojave Max’s emergence correctly? You’ve got bragging rights: Let us know by calling us at 702-514-0719, or commenting on socials: We’re @CityCastVegas on Twitter and Instagram.

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