Mojave Desert Facts for Kids

The Mojave Desert is the driest and smallest desert in North America. It is located in four states including California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada, and incorporates Death Valley which is one of the hottest places on Earth and has previously reached record air atmospheric temperatures of 134 degrees Fahrenheit (56.7  degrees Celsius).

Factsmania has compiled printable Mojave Desert fact sheets covering the most important and interesting facts about the Mojave Desert for kids with key information and facts about this biome's animals, birds, plants, weather, temperature, precipitation, climate conditions, vegetation, formation, size and location of the amazing Desert of North America.

Interesting Mojave Desert Facts for Kids:- Our printable Mojave Desert facts sheet provides important facts and information for school kids and teachers. Our list of fun facts about the Mojave Desert are ideal for homework help or as a useful information guide to North America's smallest desert. Did you know that the Joshua Tree can only be found in the Mojave Desert, this plant species doesn't grow anywhere else on Earth? Did you know that the Mojave Desert is a raincloud desert? Did you know that the term 'desertification' can be defined as the process by which fertile land becomes desert? Did you know that Death Valley is located in the Mojave Desert and it is one of the hottest places on Earth?

Interesting Mojave Desert Facts for Kids:- Our free list of Interesting Mojave Desert Biome Facts for Kids is easy to print and includes important facts about the Mojave Desert such as how it was formed, why it is important, why it is classed as a biome, how big the Mojave Desert is, which American states it is located in, what the climate is like, how hot the Mojave Desert is, besides the Joshua tree, what type of plants grow in the Mojave Desert and which type of animals can survive its extreme temperatures, sparse vegetation and lack of water?

Interesting Mojave Desert Facts for Kids

Mojave Desert Fact File for Kids:- Official Name Facts: Mojave or Mohave Desert derives from the word Hamakhaave meaning beside the water ***  Location Facts: The Mojave Desert is located in North America across four states: California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada, United States *** Size: The Mojave Desert is approximately 64,750 square kilometers *** Annual Rainfall Facts: 5 inches average rainfall per year in the Mojave Desert

Interesting Facts for Kids 1:- Where is the Mojave Desert located?
The Mojave Desert is located in southeastern and central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona. It has a large presence in southeastern California. The Mojave Desert is located between hot and cold deserts, the Great Basin Desert (cold) lies in the north and the Sonoran Desert (hot) is in the south.

Interesting Facts for Kids 2:- How big is the Mojave Desert?
The Mojave is the smallest desert in North America and occupies a total area of less than 25,000 square miles (64,750 square kms) across four states; California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah. Mojave incorporates four national parks including Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Lake Mead National Park and Mojave National Preserve.

Interesting Facts for Kids 4:- Why does the temperature vary in the Mojave Desert
The temperature and precipitation of the Mojave Desert can vary significantly between northern and southern areas as it is located between the hot desert of the Sonoran in the south and cold desert of the Great Basin in the North. Another key factor that influences the temperature of the Mojave Desert is its elevation which can vary between its lowest point at 85m below sea level in Death Valley to Mojave Desert's highest peak of 3,633m above sea level at Charleston Peak.

Interesting Facts for Kids 5:- What is the temperature in the Mojave Desert?
Mohave experiences the coldest temperatures during its winter season where temperatures at lower elevations can reach 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 degrees Celsius) and higher levels can reach 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius). The temperature during the remaining seasons of spring, summer and autumn are generally much higher. The summer months experience particularly high temperatures with lower elevations being subjected to extremely hot weather conditions of more than 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54 degrees Celsius). The hottest air atmospheric temperature ever recorded on Earth occurred at 134 degrees Fahrenheit (56.7  degrees Celsius) in Death Valley in the Mojave Desert.

Interesting Facts for Kids 6:- What is the climate of the Mojave Desert?
The climate of the Mojave Desert differs between northern and southern areas, positions of elevation and throughout the seasons. Dry winds are common throughout the year and from late winter through to spring, gusts can often reach speeds of more than 75 mph. The Mojave is the driest desert in North American, it has low precipitation of approximately 5 inches per year as it is a rain shadow desert.  Humidity across the Mojave Desert generally remains below 40% through the year. The temperature can fluctuate from 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 degrees Celsius) at the lowest points of the Mojave Desert in the winter to around 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54 degrees Celsius) in areas such as the Death Valley in the summer.

Interesting Facts for Kids 7:- Mojave Desert Rainfall
The Mojave Desert receives little rainfall throughout the year, and mostly occurs during November and April. The annual precipitation of the Mojave Desert is approximately 5 inches. The annual rainfall figures can vary year to year depending on keys facts such as thunderstorms which have been known to occur during the summer season and can result in heavy rainfall. Precipitation is generally low due to the fact that the Mojave is a rain shadow desert which means that rainfall is often blocked by mountainous areas, and quite often, the hot, dry air will cause rain to evaporate before it reaches the ground.

Interesting Facts for Kids 8:- What animals live in the Mojave Desert?
Despite the sparse vegetation and extreme climate conditions of the Mojave Desert biome, there are many types of animals found living there including species of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, arachnids and arthropods. Such animals found living in the Mojave Desert include scorpions, snakes, rats, lizards, toads, Gila monsters, squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, tarantulas, deer, bobcats, cougars, desert bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, fox, tortoise, owls, ravens, hawks, and Mohave Tui Chub (a fish found in the Mojave River).

Interesting Facts for Kids 9:-  How do Mojave Desert animals survive?
Animals of the Mojave Desert have to make many adaptations to survive its extreme climate conditions which means their environments can be subject to hot and cold temperature depending on location and season, and overall lack of vegetation and access to water. Some desert animals, such as the coyote, are particularly resilient and adaptable to the Mojave Desert as their gray/brown coats allow them to stay hidden amongst rocks, and the animal's excellent hearing and sense of smell helps them hunt for prey and avoid predators.

Interesting Facts for Kids 10:-  Mojave Desert animal adaptations
The wildlife of the Mojave Desert form habitats which help them survive extreme weather conditions. The desert tortoise, for example, has strong front legs and long claws which enable them to dig deep burrows where they can shelter from the sun and avoid predators such as Gila monsters and coyotes. Tortoises also dig basins in the ground to capture and store rainfall until they return. Many animals seek shaded areas during the day to escape the intense heat and explore throughout the night when the temperatures are cooler. Animals of lighter color are less susceptible to heat and can usually withstand exposure to higher Mojave Desert temperatures for longer.

Interesting Facts for Kids 11:- Mojave Desert Snakes
The types of snakes found in the Mojave Desert include the Coachwhip snake, glossy snake, gopher snake, Mohave green rattlesnake, rosy boa, sidewinder rattler, western diamondback rattlesnake and the western patch-nosed snake. One of the most interesting facts is that the Mojave rattlesnake is one of the most dangerous snakes in the United States as is very poisonous and its venom is far more potent that other rattlesnakes. This particular species is found living in high desert regions and mountain slopes in areas of grassland, bushes and dry desert as opposed to rocky terrain.  It is a medium sized rattlesnake which grows to around 2-4 feet long.

Interesting Facts for Kids 12:- Mojave Desert Coyote facts
The coyote is a clever animal that adjusts well to its environment and can be found generally living alone or in pairs in the Mojave Desert. This animal grows to around 2 feet tall and 4 feet long (including its tail), and can weigh up to 30 pounds. Coyotes have big bushy tails which grow up to 16 inches long. They have pointy ears and excellent hearing which help them avoid potential threats from predators. Their sharp sense of smell helps assists with hunting for prey; typically rabbits, rodents as well as larger animals such as sheep and antelope. Coyotes are omnivores and will eat almost anything they can find in the Mojave Desert including other animals of all sizes, insects, reptiles, and even fruits and nuts!

Interesting Facts for Kids 16:- Mojave Desert Joshua Tree facts
One of the most interesting facts about the Mojave Desert is that the Joshua Tree practically outlines its borders. The Joshua Tree is found growing only in the Mojave Desert, not anywhere else in North America or in fact, on Earth! This species of tree has evergreen leaves and flowers between February and April, it is also known by the names of Yucca Brevifolia and Yucca Palm Tree and it belongs to the genus Yucca. It is native to the North American States of California, Utah, Arizona and Nevada and grows in the Mojave Desert between elevations of around 400-1800 meters. The Joshua Tree can live for hundreds of years, it can grow as tall as 15 meters and has deep roots which can reach 11 meters long.

Interesting Facts for Kids 17:-  Mojave River facts
The Mojave River is an intermittent river which has a mainly underground presence in San Bernardino Country in the Mohave Desert in Southern California. Its source is in the San Bernardino Mountains and the river flows north and east, downstream of the Mojave Forks Dam, through Hesperia, Victorville and Barstow. It flows out at the Mojave River Wash west of the Mojave National Preserve.

Interesting Facts for Kids 18:- Mojave Desert food chain facts
The animals and vegetation of Mojave Desert form its overall food web, beginning with the primary producers which consist of plants and shrubs such as cacti, thorn acacias, rabbit brush and sage which are eaten by primary consumers including insects, lizards, desert rats and rodent kangaroos. Next in the food chain are the small predators, insectivores and carnivores including scorpions, tarantulas, snakes and lizards, followed by larger predators at the top of the food chain such as kit fox and hawks.

Interesting Facts for Kids 19:- Mojave Desert carnivore facts
Carnivores such as the Sidewinder Snake survive on a diet of meat and rely on animals such as lizards, birds, rodents and leftovers from the kills of other carnivores in order to survive desert life. Plant and animal species are key to survival in the Mojave Desert biome which incorporates a harsh ecosystem, the removal of just one animal or plant species can affect the whole food chain - one of the main reasons why the survival of endangered animals is so important.

Interesting Facts for Kids 20:-  Mojave Desert Plants
Many types of plants grow in the Mojave Desert including trees, shrubs, cacti, herbs and grasses. Some of the most popular Mojave Desert plant names include the Joshua Tree, Mojave Aster, Common Saltbush, Triangle-leaf Bursae, and Creosote Bush. Plant life is extremely important to the Mojave Desert Biome as its ecosystem relies upon vegetation to provide shade and food to animals and birds.

Interesting Facts for Kids 21:- Mojave Desert plant adaptations and facts
The plants of the Mojave Desert are resilient to its extreme climate conditions which result in dry land and nutritionally poor soils. With low precipitation and arid conditions, vegetation across the biome is limited, however, desert plants typically have thickly built stems and sharp spikes as opposed to luscious leaves which allow them to retain water and moisture for longer periods of time. The leafier type plants, such as the Brittle Bush, found growing in the Mojave Desert generally have a layer of small hair which form across the leaves to protect the plant from hot and cold weather conditions and also help to capture moisture in the air.

Interesting Mojave Desert Facts for Kids