CA's 'Mojave Maxine' Counters Punxsutawney Phil's Forecast

PALM DESERT, CA — Punxsutawney who? Forget that rodent and his bleak forecast. Though the famous groundhog saw his shadow Thursday, indicating six more weeks of winter, Mojave Maxine says otherwise. The desert tortoise emerged from brumation — or reptilian hibernation — on Wednesday at 12:28 p.m., officials at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens said.

"It has been unseasonably warm this year and our desert animals tell time by the weather, not the calendar," said Sarah Greely, Desert Tortoise Conservation Coordinator at The Living Desert. "Typically Maxine emerges in February, and her January debut means we could be in for a warm year."

Maxine lives at the Southern California zoo, where she retires for the winter to her underground burrow for several months. The tortoise is set to celebrate her 41st birthday this April

"[She] emerges in early spring as the warm days begin to arrive in the desert, promising fresh flowers, a favorite meal for the desert tortoise," officials said.

Maxine's brumation coincided as usual with an annual contest among Southern California students, who submit predictions as to when the 40-year-old tortoise will emerge from her burrow. The contest was open to K-12 students from Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties.

More than 1,800 students participated this year, according to the Living Desert.

The first entry from each county that is closest to the exact date and time will win that student a $50 gift certificate, a Federal Lands Pass, a visit from a desert tortoise, Mojave Maxine T-shirts for his or her entire class and a $100 gift certificate for the student's teacher.

"The number of entries in our contest continues to grow and this year, we saw an increase of over 400 participants," Greely said. "It's exciting to see more and more children interested in conservation and learning about our native desert tortoises through Mojave Maxine."

— City News Service contributed to this report / Images via The Living Desert