The Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) is a critically endangered species of the family Cyprinodontidae (pupfishes) found only in Devils Hole, a water-filled cavern in the US state of Nevada.
Coyotes, ravens, roadrunners, ground squirrels and lizards are the most commonly seen wildlife of the region, but there are many species who thrive here, hidden or unnoticed by visitors.
AMARGOSA VALLEY, Nevada – Agency biologists are excited to report increased numbers of one of the world's rarest fishes. Scientists counted 263 Devils Hole pupfish, which is the most they've observed in 19 years.
Devils Hole is a perfect summer swim spot in Deep Creek. Requiring a further hike than the nearby Aztec Falls, this swimming hole is less crowded and even more rewarding. It is roughly 3 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail, hiking northward from Splinter's Cabin Trailhead.
Devils Hole itself is a water-filled cavern cut into the side of a hill. The cavern is over 500 feet (152 m) deep and the bottom has never been mapped.
Snakes live in a wide variety of habitats including forests, swamps, grasslands, deserts and in both fresh and salt water. Some are active at night, others during the day. Snakes are predators and eat a wide variety of animals, including rodents, insects, birds' eggs and young birds.
Animals that live in deserts include lizards, geckos, toads, jackrabbits, camels, snakes, spiders and meerkats.
weever, any of four species of small marine fishes of the family Trachinidae (order Perciformes). Weevers are long-bodied fishes that habitually bury themselves in the sand.
The largest native mammal in the area, and perhaps the best-studied member of the fauna, is the desert bighorn. Small herds of these sheep are most commonly found in the mountains surrounding Death Valley, but they occasionally visit the valley floor.
Mojave rattlesnake
Chiefly inhabits upland desert and mountain slopes but ranges from sea level to 8,000 feet. Considered rare in Death Valley and restricted to the southern half of the park.
Why is it called Death Valley? Death Valley was given its forbidding name by a group of pioneers lost here in the winter of 1849-1850. Even though, as far as we know, only one of the group died here, they all assumed that this valley would be their grave.
Located in southern Nevada, the “hole” itself is a fissure in the earth's surface that split open 60,000 years ago to reveal an astonishing underworld: a water-filled limestone cavern. Ironically, beneath the hottest, driest place in the Western Hemisphere stretches a vast aquifer system.
Astoundingly, the Devils Hole pupfish is so inbred that 58% of the genomes of these eight individuals are identical, on average.
The devil fish or giant devil ray (Mobula mobular) is a species of ray in the family Mobulidae. It is currently listed as endangered, mostly due to bycatch mortality in unrelated fisheries.
Kangaroos are found in many different regions of Australia, including the desert and semi-arid regions. Kangaroos from these areas have behavioural and structural adaptations that enable them to survive the harsh conditions.
Kangaroo rat tend to live in the desert flatlands, creosote flats, and the sandy soils of the desert washes. The rats burrow into the soil to better survive the sometimes harsh desert environment. Kangaroo rats are mostly seed eaters, eating mostly mesquite beans and grass seeds.
The inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) is considered the most venomous snake in the world with a murine LD 50 value of 0.025 mg/kg SC. Ernst and Zug et al. 1996 list a value of 0.01 mg/kg SC, which makes it the most venomous snake in the world in their study too.
Animals such as deer, antelope, cows and horses regard the diamondback as a threat and they may try to trample or stomp the snake. Eagles, hawks, roadrunners, kingsnakes, coyote, bobcats or fox are predators who look at these snakes as a source of food.
That makes Alaska one of two states to be snake-free, the other being Hawaii. As an island, Hawaii is more representative of why most countries without snakes have gotten so lucky: They're geographically isolated. Not all islands are devoid of snakes, of course.
Start at the gorge overlook at Devil's Hole, and head down the stone stairway. There are an estimated 410 steps heading down. They are overgrown with weeds, crumbling and constant rock slides morph and cover the trail. Watch your step and be mindful of those making the climb up–their task is a bit more grueling.
Myth 4: There's No Water
In fact, a 100-mile-long, 600-foot-deep body of water named Lake Manly inundated the valley during the Ice Age. More recently a series of shallower lakes have also occasionally filled the valley.
It was first explored underwater to a depth of 70 feet (21 m) by divers from the Southwestern Speleological Society in February 1961. It had been described as being shaped like a boot with fallen rock restriction at the 50-foot (15 m) level leading to a narrow pool of 93 °F (34 °C) water.