Wildlife Sanctuary
Map Satellite This, the smallest of the eight County sanctuaries in Antelope Valley (see Alpine Butte Wildflower Sanctuary, etc.), is, in terms of plant communities present, the most diversified. Four plant communities are found here. Creosote bush scrub, with Larrea tridentata, and Joshua tree woodland, with Yucca brevifolia, each occupy approximately 40 percent of the area. The remainder is a desert wash, at the lower end of Mescal Creek, with a very small juniper tree association. The latter includes a few California juniper, Juniperus californica, and yucca, Yucca whipplei. Wash plants include scalebroom, Lepidospartum squamatum, and box-thorn, Lycium andersonii. Other species that occur in the sanctuary include Malacothrix sp., Phacelia fremontii, Phacelia distans, Nama demissum, evening primrose, Oenothera sp., and winter fat, Eurotia lanata. Gambel's quail, Lophortyx gambelii, and the long-nosed leopard lizard, Crotaphytus wislizenii wislizenii, are among the desert animals found here. The area is on bajada, with Quaternary alluvium as the substrate. Integrity: There are signs of off-road-vehicle use and some trash dumping, but most of the area is virtually undisturbed. Use: Research, educational, observational. December 1979
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2008 Steven Louis Hartman
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