The Sonoran Desert Explorer

A Guide to Natural Wonders and Adventures

Contributors

By Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

By Debra Colodner

By Catherine Bartlett

By Jesús M. García

By Craig Ivanyi

By Roxane Ramos

Formats and Prices

On Sale
Mar 17, 2026
Page Count
380 pages
Publisher
Timber Press
ISBN-13
9781643261751

Price

$27.99

Price

$36.99 CAD

Format

Format:

  1. Trade Paperback $27.99 $36.99 CAD
  2. ebook $14.99 $19.99 CAD

Prepare to be dazzled by the incredibly biodiverse life thriving and surviving in this immense desert.

Say “desert” and many folks will picture sand, clouds of dust, a smattering of cactuses, and perhaps a tenacious reptile or scorpion fighting for their thirsty lives. But Arizona’s Sonoran Desert breaks those barren stereotypes. Sonoran Desert Explorer, penned by expert staff at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, introduces curious readers and intrepid explorers to the myriad “biomes, animals, plants, geology, and cultures they may come across” when exploring this 120,000-square-mile expanse. With over 180 fun profiles of wild flora and fauna observed in this expanse, 20 adventurous field trip options for all nature enthusiasts, and riveting and inclusive natural history insights, Sonoran Desert Explorer will reveal to many just how biodiverse and colorful this desert truly is.


Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

About the Author

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum was founded in 1952 and is regarded as one of the top 10 zoological parks worldwide. It’s earned such a reputation through its “unique approach in interpreting the complete natural history of” the Sonoran Desert and immediately surrounding ecosystems. It integrates animal, plant, and geologic collections to educate folks of all ages and help us all understand this unique desert.

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Debra Colodner

About the Author

Debra Colodner is Director of Conservation Education and Science at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. She is an oceanographer by training, who was lured to the desert by the opportunity to pursue her passion for conservation and science education. In Tucson, she has directed science and education programs at Biosphere 2 (under Columbia University), Flandrau Science Center at the University of Arizona, and most recently at the Desert Museum. Debra has written and edited dozens of scientific and popular articles, and contributed chapters to several books, including Local Flora and Fauna Conservation–A Role for Zoos, Aquariums and Botanical Gardens; Wilder Kingdom; and The Ark and Beyond.

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