Third-grader wins this year’s Mojave Max contest

Abigal Lemus, a third-grader at Wynn Elementary School, won this year's contest to predict the emergence of Mojave Max, the desert tortoise that lives outside Red Rock Canyon's visitor center, contest officials announced Thursday.

Mojave Max crawled out of his burrow after a winter slumber to mark the beginning of spring-like weather at 2:03 p.m. on March 29. Lemus had guessed he would emerge that day at 1:57 p.m., only six minutes off the actual time.

More than 6,300 students participated in the 12th annual contest by Clark County's Department of Air Quality and Environmental Management, the Bureau of Land Management and affiliate groups.

Lemus and her class will be rewarded with T-shirts, a field trip and a pizza party at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area on May 5.

Lemus also will receive an outdoor adventure backpack, a digital camera, a year-long pass to federally managed fee areas and a laptop computer. Her teacher also will receive a laptop computer, Clark County officials said.