Okay, he’s not really a scientist per se, but he does have a solid reputation for predicting the weather. Meet Mojave Max, a 34-year-old desert tortoise who lives in Palm Desert, California.
When Max stops hibernating and crawls out of his burrow, that’s considered by locals to be the end of winter. They even have an annual contest where people try to guess when it will happen.
Thing is, Max is waking up later and later each year. Historically he rubs the sleep out of his eyes and comes out of hibernation by February 15, but this year he waited until the 22nd. Last year he barely beat the deadline, crawling out on the 13th wearing ear muffs and a look of regret on his face, but two years ago he waited until the 24th.
Seems Max is trying to tell us something: “Baby, it’s cold outside.”
Three days later weather forecasters predicted snowfall in San Francisco for the first time in 35 years. So Mojave Max knows what’s he doing.
Somebody get this guy a job at the IPCC.
– Written by J.P. Travis of JPAttitude.com
Sources: KPSP-TV, DesertTortoise.gov
