There are museums in this world, and then there are museums. The Sonoran Desert Museum near Tucson is one of the latter.

Where else could you find both desert bighorn sheep and giant saguaro cactus?

Or beautiful desert flowers like Penstemon parryi?

Or fuzzy (but not exactly cuddly) Teddy Bear Cholla?

Part of the Sonoran Desert Museum functions as a well-run zoo, where most of animals were napping in the midday heat. The silver fox slunk around in the shadows.

The sleepy javelina slept in the sun.

The bobcat declined to be interviewed.

Only the coyote deigned to notice us, trotting up to the edge of the fence to mark his territory before insolently marching away.