The Chiricahua Desert Museum's living collection consists of species native to the North American Southwest and Sky Islands, and is best known for its collection of over thirty-four species of rattlesnakes and world-class displays. 

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Several breeding programs are on-going, including two Appendix 1 species: the Coahuilan box turtle (Terrapene coahuila) and the Bolson tortoise (Gopherus flavomarginatus).