ST. George — Visit the Red Cliff Desert Conservation Discovery Center, located inside the newly constructed Washington County Courthouse, and experience desert animals without getting red stains on your shoes.
The space also houses the Greater Zion Visitor and Convention Center and Tourism Office at 111 Tabernacle Street in St. George, Utah.
“What we have here at the visitor center is either illegally captured animals or injured and collected wild animals,” said Ammon Tia, outreach coordinator for the Redcliffe Desert Conservation Area. rice field.
The visitor center has live animals and interactive exhibits.it’s eight o’clock from a.m. to 5 p.m. Our staff can give presentations to small groups Monday through Friday by appointment. The official grand opening is scheduled for June.
The center focuses on the Red Cliffs Desert Conservation Area, west of Bloomington and south of Santa Clara. The reserve is part of the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area north of St. George and Washington.this The wildlife sanctuary covers approximately 69,000 acres.
The region is a blend of three important ecosystems: the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin, and the Colorado Plateau. Mojave Desert Tortoise and a unique array animal and plant.
The northernmost habitat of desert tortoises. american monster, side winder with rattlesnake chuckwala, Conditions in this region are such that some species can survive only here and are absent elsewhere in the world.
These areas include areas where tortoise habitat in the Mojave Desert is protected by the federal government in exchange for land within the reserve that will be disturbed by the construction of the Northern Corridor.or roadway It will cut through Redcliffe National Conservation Area, which overlaps four miles of Desert Conservation Area.
A survey of the area by county and state wildlife officials found a “significant” population of desert tortoises, despite continued recreational use, according to the reserve’s website. It turned out.
Tear said some of the animals at the center are common in Utah. They obtained a certificate of registration from the Wildlife Resources Service and exhibited the animals for the education and knowledge of the public. A young turtle couple, Bonnie and Clyde, is about five years old.
“We named them because they were found housed together and are legally kept as pets,” Tear said.
The animals housed in the museum are fed with materials found in their natural habitat.
“At this time of the year, the main blooms are Desert globe, mallow And dessert marigolds,” Tiare said. “If it happens to be in a very wet area at this time of year, I get fillory or clover, and that’s what they like to eat.”
The Red Cliffs Preserve is a mix of state school trust and public land. The facility is managed by Washington County in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the Utah Schools and Institutions Trustland, according to its website. there is Management (SITLA).
of national reserve located in the southwest Utahnorth of St George at the northeastern end of Mojave Desert.
“The primary objective of this collaborative partnership is to restore the endangered Desert Tortoise while carefully managing recreational activities and utilities that will benefit future generations in a highly unique environment. ‘ says the website.
It will be the first time Washington County has set up a dedicated visitor center at the new courthouse. Greater Zion Convention and Tourismsaid director Brittany McMichael. Originally, the Utah Visitors Center was on the Arizona border. It was also previously kept at the Dixie Center.
“I’ve been planning for over three years to get executed here. and Be prepared to open up,” McMichael said. “And you need people who know exactly how to handle, care for, feed, and do just about anything else.”
She also said she was aware that staff had to remind the public not to touch or feed the animals. The center features exhibits, photographs, videos, and live animal exhibits, and offers educational opportunities.
“The big thing with us building a visitor center is that people come here to learn about Washington County and then go out and recreate it responsibly,” Brittany said.
Photo gallery
Children enjoy the Red Cliff Desert Conservation Area Discovery Center, 1st Floor, Washington County Building, 111 Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah, May 9, 2023. Photo courtesy of St. George News, Stephanie DeGraw
The Red Cliff Desert Conservation Reserve Discovery Center will open May 9, 2023 in the Washington County Building in St. George, Utah. Photo courtesy of St. George News, Stephanie DeGraw
The Red Cliff Desert Conservation Reserve Discovery Center will open May 9, 2023 in the Washington County Building in St. George, Utah. Photo courtesy of St. George News, Stephanie DeGraw
The Red Cliff Desert Conservation Reserve Discovery Center will open May 9, 2023 in the Washington County Building in St. George, Utah. Photo courtesy of St. George News, Stephanie DeGraw
The Red Cliff Desert Conservation Reserve Discovery Center will open May 9, 2023 in the Washington County Building in St. George, Utah. Photo courtesy of St. George News, Stephanie DeGraw
Outreach Coordinator Ammon Tia explains the Red Cliff Desert Reserve Discovery Center exhibit. Opening May 9, 2023 at the Washington County Building in St. George, Utah | Photo Credit: St. George News, Stephanie DeGraw
The Red Cliff Desert Conservation Reserve Discovery Center will open May 9, 2023 in the Washington County Building in St. George, Utah. Photo courtesy of St. George News, Stephanie DeGraw
The Red Cliff Desert Conservation Reserve Discovery Center will open May 9, 2023 in the Washington County Building in St. George, Utah. Photo courtesy of St. George News, Stephanie DeGraw
The Red Cliff Desert Conservation Reserve Discovery Center will open May 9, 2023 in the Washington County Building in St. George, Utah. Photo courtesy of St. George News, Stephanie DeGraw
The Red Cliff Desert Conservation Reserve Discovery Center will open May 9, 2023 in the Washington County Building in St. George, Utah. Photo courtesy of St. George News, Stephanie DeGraw
The Red Cliff Desert Conservation Area Discovery Center will open May 9, 2023 at the Washington County Building in St. George, Utah. Photo courtesy of St. George News, Stephanie DeGraw
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