After the rain, the opuntia cactus, or “prickly pear,” ripens to provide a sweet but not easily accessible meal for animals such as the ground squirrel. As the water seeps in, the park enjoys a moment of relaxation.

In June, surviving the ferocious sun and intense heat is a challenge for every living being in the park, and each has developed a special technique to see it through until the next rain.

The saguaro cactus blooms overnight and its flower is visited the next morning by a Gila woodpecker. As the heat of day rises, harvester ants work go about their work, wary of a mortal enemy in the park.

May sees drought conditions in the park, but the saguaro cactus is completely unaffected. A family of ground squirrels is laying low, but a long-nosed snake has caught their scent.