Yes, these really are pictures of the desert. I have a hard time understanding people who say the desert is ugly and dead. This place was gorgeous and very much alive. The thunder rolled over us and a few rain drops fell. There were a lot of different birds we were able to see in two walk through aviaries. They had the snakes and other icky things in glass boxes to look at. There were several lizards that ran across the trail though. There were so many shades of green with all of the plants. Looking out across the landscape it was green for as far as you could see. Some of the plants and a few of the cacti were even in bloom. So enjoy these pictures of the plant and animal life of the Sonora Desert.

This is the desert!