Plant & Animal Abstracts

Nongame Managment and Conservation Projects

• Mexican Wolf Reintroduction & Management
• Jaguar Conservation
• Black-footed Ferret Reintroduction & Management
• Bat Conservation and Management

Arizona has a diverse, abundant mammalian fauna. It includes many nongame species and a rich variety of game species. Each part of Arizona harbors at least one kind of mammal unusual enough to be a delightful surprise when encountered in the field. Known distribution and taxonomy of 134 native and 11 introduced mammals are documented in Arizona.

From almost any perspective, many nongame mammals in Arizona are poorly known. Entire species complexes, such as the voles, gophers, and several genera of mice have yet to be definitively addressed with modern molecular genetic techniques. The ecology and distribution of some of these species, and many other small mammals, is also poorly known. Among those in need of field study are the water shrew, jumping mouse, and several species of pocket mice.

Thirty-four Arizona mammals are identified as Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Nine are also federally listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Three of these species are extinct, and five have been extirpated from the State, although reintroduction efforts are underway for two (black-footed ferret and Mexican wolf). Most other imperiled species have very small, local populations that face a variety of threats. Some species are tied to riparian or native grassland communities.

NOTE: Some of the following files are PDF's and require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. For text-only, use Adobe Access.