Posted: Wednesday, 02 July 2008 5:13AM

Mojave Max Dies Of Natural Causes

 
The Las Vegas Valley's most famous desert tortoise has died. The Bureau of Land Management says Mojave Max passed away of natural causes Monday, at his habitat in Red Rock Canyon. Max was estimated to be 65-years-old. He was Southern Nevada's answer to Punxsutawney Phil. Every year for the past nine years, local school students would compete to determine when Max would emerge from his shell and mark the start of spring in Las Vegas. This year's winner was Conners Elementary student Tesha Kerr, who came within three minutes of predicting when the tortoise would come out of hibernation. A successor to Mojave Max will be named in the near future.