This exhibit highlights the Chihuahuan Desert. One of the four deserts in North America, the Chihuahuan is the largest at over 200,000 square miles. It emcompasses parts of New Mexico, Texas, and northern Mexico. Big Bend's part of the Chihuahuan Desert is one of the most diverse, with many different life zones supporting an astonishing variety of plants and animals, including 450 species of birds! 
There are many ways to observe signs of life in the desert. Footprints of mammals and birds provide clues to the abundance of life in the surrounding area. Look carefully as you make your way down trails or dry washes - you may see signs of animals having dined on plants - evidence of life in what appears to be a foreboding landscape.