Chapter 13: The Empty Interior

The Empty Interior spans across the Rocky Mountains to the Cascade Range and Canadian Coast Range.  It was given the name the "empty interior" because the population density is so sparse in this area.  The climate is arid to semi-arid and there is a large Mormon presence concentrated around the Salt Lake City area in Utah. The empty interior's toprography is mostly comprised of plateaus, mountains, and canyons.  Similar to San Diego, this area attracts many tourists every year primarily due to the mass appeal of Las Vegas, Nevada.  San Diego also has it's fair share of attractions including Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo, and the Gaslamp District.  The wildlife found in the empty interior also entices flocks of visitors.  The Colorado River is also located in this section which is a main source of water supply for residents of San Diego!

The One and Only LAS VEGAS!

Wildlife

• There has been an explosion of wildlife in the empty interior since 1935...There are currently 60,000 buffalo, 500,000 elk, 750,000 pronghorn deer, and 15 million white-tail deer.
• The golden eagle is very common in areas of Southern California and can be found soaring across the skies of San Diego. 
• The black-tail deer is another common species found in San Diego County.  While they enjoy well-forested areas, they do most of their feeding in open areas with a good deal of greenery.
• Large Predators- larger animals such as bobcats, coyotes, and mountain lions are prevalent in this city and are often forced to share quarters with humans due to the loss of their habitat.
• Sea and Shore Birds- What would San Diego be without the occasional sea bird? If you visit a beach or a park in this area, you are guaranteed to come into contact with a gull or pelican.  
• Mallards- The most common type of duck.  They are commonly found in many places, San Diego being one of them.  They prefer to live in wetlands because there are numerous invertebrates to feed on.
• Cottontail Rabbits-The most prevalent type of rabbit found in San Diego.  The can be found throughout southwestern North America; range extends as far south as central Mexico and as far west as the Pacific coast.

Peter Cottontail

Three Little Mallard Ducklings

Seagull

Mountain Lion

Golden Eagle