Clark County Students Can Enter Contest To Predict Mojave Max’s Spring Appearance For Special Prizes

Clark County School District students in kindergarten through fifth grade can now enter the annual Mojave Max Emergence Contest by predicting the exact date and time the beloved desert tortoise will leave his winter burrow at Springs Preserve.

The contest, hosted by the Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability, remains open until the moment Mojave Max emerges. Entries are submitted online, with one guess allowed per student per year.

Mojave Max — Southern Nevada's official weather prognosticator and mascot of the Clark County Desert Conservation Program — remains in brumation, the reptilian equivalent of hibernation. His emergence each spring has historically marked the start of consistent warm weather in the region. Last year, Max set a record for his latest emergence ever, surfacing May 8.

Max's timing is driven by a combination of his internal biological clock and environmental cues, including temperature fluctuations and daylight hours. Unseasonably variable conditions have contributed to his increasingly late emergences in recent years.

The student whose guess comes closest to the actual date and time, without going over, wins the grand prize: Mojave Max T-shirts and medals for the entire class, a school trophy, a pizza party, and a Springs Preserve field trip to meet Max in person. The top predictor also receives a laptop computer, a Springs Preserve year-long family membership, an America the Beautiful annual pass to national parks and federal recreation areas, and a backpack filled with outdoor gear. The winning student's teacher also receives a laptop.

Students must have permission from a parent or guardian and a teacher to enter. Public, private, and registered home school students enrolled in Clark County are eligible. More information is available at MojaveMax.com.