Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge provides 117107 acres (473.9 km²) of habitat
for threatened and endangered plants and animals. The refuge was established in 1985.
and pronghorn
s. Prescribed and natural fires play a major role in maintaining and restoring the sea of grass that once filled the Altar Valley
. Riparian (wetland) areas along Arivaca Cienega and Creek attract an abundance of birds. Brown Canyon is nestled in the Baboquivari Mountains, where a sycamore-lined stream meanders through oak woodland.
, white-tailed deer
, pronghorn
, javelina and puma. There are also more than 325 different bird species and 53 species of reptiles and amphibians.
There is also a small jaguar
population in the area, which is contiguous, with Mexico. Between 2004 and 2007 an old male jaguar was followed by researchers in the area. The animal was called 'Macho B' by the researchers and has been previously photographed in 1996 in the area. During the study its home range compassed the mountains to east and west of the Altar Valley, which is situated in the Refuge. In addition at least one other jaguar was recorded in the area during that study.
3% of the Refuge or roughly 3500 acres (14.2 km²) was closed in 2006 to public access due to human safety concerns. At that time there was a marked increase in violence along the border due to human and drug trafficking. The closed area extends north from the international border roughly ¾ of a mile. As of 2010, this portion remains closed; however, the Fish and Wildlife Service reports a marked decline in violence.
Environmental degradation is the most visible consequence of border crossings through the refuge. A few years ago, there were 45 abandoned cars on the Buenos Aires refuge near Sasabe, Arizona and enough trash that a volunteer couple filled 723 large bags with 18,000 pounds of garbage over two months in 2002.
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
for threatened and endangered plants and animals. The refuge was established in 1985.
Natural history
The semidesert grassland supports the reintroduction of masked bobwhite quailQuail
Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes. Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, while New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae...
and pronghorn
Pronghorn
The pronghorn is a species of artiodactyl mammal endemic to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is often known colloquially in North America as the prong buck, pronghorn antelope, or simply antelope, as it closely resembles the true antelopes of the Old World and...
s. Prescribed and natural fires play a major role in maintaining and restoring the sea of grass that once filled the Altar Valley
Altar Valley
The Altar Valley is a 45-mile long north-south valley, trending slightly northeast from Sasabe, Arizona on the Mexico border to the Avra Valley, Arizona west of the Tucson Mountains...
. Riparian (wetland) areas along Arivaca Cienega and Creek attract an abundance of birds. Brown Canyon is nestled in the Baboquivari Mountains, where a sycamore-lined stream meanders through oak woodland.
Fauna
The Refuge is home to 58 mammal species. Among the larger species are mule deerMule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
, white-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, pronghorn
Pronghorn
The pronghorn is a species of artiodactyl mammal endemic to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is often known colloquially in North America as the prong buck, pronghorn antelope, or simply antelope, as it closely resembles the true antelopes of the Old World and...
, javelina and puma. There are also more than 325 different bird species and 53 species of reptiles and amphibians.
There is also a small jaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
population in the area, which is contiguous, with Mexico. Between 2004 and 2007 an old male jaguar was followed by researchers in the area. The animal was called 'Macho B' by the researchers and has been previously photographed in 1996 in the area. During the study its home range compassed the mountains to east and west of the Altar Valley, which is situated in the Refuge. In addition at least one other jaguar was recorded in the area during that study.
Access
Most of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge is open for visiting and research. Guided access is also available with Friends of Buenos Aires NWR - Workshops and Walks events.3% of the Refuge or roughly 3500 acres (14.2 km²) was closed in 2006 to public access due to human safety concerns. At that time there was a marked increase in violence along the border due to human and drug trafficking. The closed area extends north from the international border roughly ¾ of a mile. As of 2010, this portion remains closed; however, the Fish and Wildlife Service reports a marked decline in violence.
Environmental degradation is the most visible consequence of border crossings through the refuge. A few years ago, there were 45 abandoned cars on the Buenos Aires refuge near Sasabe, Arizona and enough trash that a volunteer couple filled 723 large bags with 18,000 pounds of garbage over two months in 2002.
See also
- Sonoran Desert wiki-index
- List of largest National Wildlife Refuges
Reference links
- Official Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge website
- Bird Checklists for Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge
- Friends of Buenos Aires NWR website
External links
- Media coverage:
- http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/18/federal-lands-arizona-travel-warnings-place/
- http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/17/portion-arizona-wildlife-refuge-closed-safety-concerns/
- http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/17/lawmaker-warns-drug-cartel-danger-public-parks-intensifying/
- http://www.kgun9.com/Global/story.asp?S=12663451
- http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=167941