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Most desert creatures are nocturnal or secretive and are seldom seen---with the exception of coyotes, ravens, ants, and flies. Desert bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and deer inhabited in the mountains surrounding Panamint Valley long before humans arrived on the scene several thousand years ago.
Coyotes, rabbits, bats, rats, mice, chipmunks and other rodents live in all parts of the valley and surrounding mountains. Quail are specifically mentioned as a favorite food of the miners, but there are also chukkars (introduced), ravens, jays, hawks, roadrunners, and all manner of smaller birds. A variety of snakes and lizards are found at all elevations, and of course there are numberous insects, bugs and butterflies. Desert tortoises are found in the southern part of the valley and are considered an endangered species. Watch for them crossing the road. They run slowly. Burros and wild horses are found in the mountains west of the valley, but they are non-native, having been brought in by prospectors and early miners. The domestic animals currently living at Panamint Springs must protect themselves from native inhabitants that prowl about at close quarters. Charlotte the pig used to lounge at the front door where guests stepped over her imposing girth. At night she might visit a motel room to keep the guests company. Whe she became a mother, Charlotte and baby Porkchop were put in a pen to protect the tender piglet from the coyotes (and to protect the coyotes from Charlotte). Any one of several cats may visit you during your stay, each with its own personality, but all endowed with the gift to survive on the margins of the wild and next to a busy highway. Gilly (short for Angelica) is the aging German Shepherd who keeps a vigilant eye on the proceedings and tolerates the several cats as she welcomes the many visitiors who enjoy her resort.
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