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| The Phoenix Zoo provides experiences that inspire people and motivate them to care for the natural world. Jaguars and Pumas in Arizona IN THIS ISSUE Conservation & Science
Conservation & Science
April, 2009 IN THIS ISSUE FEATURE SW
ECOLOGY FIELD
REPORTS GET
INVOLVED NEWS &
UPDATES 1 Featured Conservation & Science Article ................... 1
Southwest Conservation Ecology
Field Reports From Our Partners
Sidebar Menu Arthur L.“Bud” & Elaine V. Johnson Conservation Center SPECIES UPDATES .......... 2-7
News & Updates ................ 8 Jaguars and Pumas in Arizona Natural History The jaguar (Panthera onca), with a weight range of 119-300 lb, is the largest cat native to the Western hemisphere. Jaguars are solitary, as are most cats, (the exception being lions and cheetah.) Eight subspecies are recognized, however there is no clear genetic evidence to warrant distinguishing subspecies. Sub-specia- tion is mostly based on location. Historically, the jaguar ranged from Argen- tinean Patagonia throughout South and Central America, and into southern USA. Fossil evi- dence of jaguar has been found as far north as Washington and Nebraska with the oldest rep- resentation found to be from 850,000 years ago. Jaguars are classified as “threatened” throughout their range ( IUCN
). Factors most affecting their decline are deforestation causing habitat frag- mentation, loss of predator base, and mortalities caused by humans. In the early to mid 1900s, jaguars were extirpated from much of their historical range as a result of hunting for the fur trade. Though hunting for this reason as has diminished as a result of in- ternational regulations, jag- uars are still killed in retalia- tion for cattle depredation in spite of legal protections in place throughout their range. Now jaguars only remain in fragmented populations of varying sizes. It is difficult to obtain accurate population numbers for jaguars. Best esti- mates are that there are approximately 15,000 jaguars left in the wild with the largest concen- tration located in the rainforest of the Amazon basin. The Cockscomb Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Preserve , a protected rainforest area of about 150 square miles, contains the largest known population of about 200 jaguars. Current conservation efforts focus on identifying and pre- serving important habitats and corridors and maintaining connectivity between these areas. In 2006, the Jaguars in the New Millennium Proj- ect (begun in 1999 by the Wildlife Conservation Soci- ety’s
Save The Jaguar project) identified 90 Jaguar Conser- vation Units (JCUs), defining the most important areas to Jaguar—
Panthera onca Eight subspecies of jaguar have been named, but there is no clear genetic evi- dence for maintaining the groups. Panthera onca arizonensis—Mexico, Arizona; Panthera onca cen- tralis—Central America; Panthera onca goldmani— Mexico, Belize; Panthera onca hernadesi—Mexico; Panthera onca —Amazon rain forest; Panthera onca palustris—Southern Brazil; Panthera onca paraguen- sis—Paraguay; Panthera onca peruviana—Peru, Ecuador; Panthera onca veraecrusis—Texas. Mouse over table to go to pages Conservation & Science Conservation & Science April, 2009 IN THIS ISSUE
FEATURE
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2 Photo by Alan & S an dy C ar ey Three Forks Springsnail
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protect viable jaguar populations or habitats. These JCUs amount to approximately 1.9 mil- lion km2, or 10% of the jaguar’s range of ap- proximately 8.8 million km2 ( IUCN ).
Jaguar Occurrences in Arizona Jaguar sightings in Arizona diminished markedly after the mid-1900s with only four confirmed sightings recorded from 1970 to 2000, leading to the belief that jaguars had been completely extirpated from Arizona. However, the two 1996 sightings in southeast- ern Arizona, one by Jack Childs and another by Warner Glen, along with subsequent repeat sightings, prompted the federal government to complete the endangered species protection, listing them as an endangered species in 1997 under the US Endangered Species Act of 1973. These sightings also initiated intense state and local interest in the conservation of the spe- cies, leading to the development and signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) be- tween interested state and federal agencies to implement a jaguar conservation agreement in Arizona and New Mexico. The signatories’ of this document worked cooperatively to form the Jaguar Conservation Team, JAGCT, the Jaguar Working Group JAGWG, and the Jag- uar Scientific Advisory Group, JAGSG. These groups, along with other subcommittees, work together to accomplish tasks outlined in the MOA to determine how best to manage jag- uar conservation efforts in Arizona and New Mexico. The JAGCT consists of state and fed- eral agencies, non-profit organizations, and private citizens interested jaguars and jaguar management in Arizona and New Mexico. The Phoenix Zoo is a participating member of the JAGCT and continues to support jaguar con- servation efforts and many of the conservation organizations associated with the team.
Arizona Game and Fish Jaguar Information –AZGFD The managing agency of the JAGCT, AZGFD leads many local conservation efforts for threatened and endangered species.
The Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project is designed to detect jaguars in the remote mountains along the border between south- ern Arizona and Sonora, Mexico using remote sensing cameras. The information gained from this study will be invaluable to government agencies from the United States and Mexico to make sound management decisions concern- ing conservation of the jaguar and its habitat. Malipai Borderlands Project Malipai Borderlands Project’s stated goal is to restore and maintain the natural processes that create and protect a healthy, unfragmented landscape to support a diverse, flourishing community of human, plant and animal life in the borderlands region.
Formed in 2002 by a small group of dedicat- ed conservationists from the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, the Northern Jaguar Project (NJP) is a bi-national non-profit organization dedicated to protecting jaguars and their habitat. Sky Island Alliance Sky Island Alliance is a grassroots organiza- tion dedicated to the protection and restoration of the rich natural heritage of native species and habitats in the Sky Island region of the south- western United States and northwestern Mexico. USFWS-Jaguar Documents FEATURED CONSERVATION & SCIENCE ARTICLE 2006 Jaguar Conservation Units** **These JCUs either represent new areas or were ratified by expert consensu s
**These areas are in need of expert consensus and further revision The jaguar’s current range consists of fragmented habitats of varying sizes. There are two “types” used to define Jaguar conservation Units: Type I. an area with a stable prey community, cur- rently known or believed to contain a population of resident jaguars large enough (at least 50 breeding individuals) to be potentially self-sustaining over the next 100 years. Type 2. areas containing fewer jaguars but with adequate habitat and a stable diverse prey base, such that jaguar populations in the area could increase if threats were alleviated. Links to a few of the organizations participating in JAGCT Fiona Sunquist “. . . on April 22, 1970, Earth Day was held, one of the most remarkable hap- penings in the history of democracy. . .” -American Heritage Magazine, October 1993 Back to top 3 FEATURED CONSERVATION & SCIENCE ARTICLE Natural History The puma is the most widely distributed mammal in the Americas, with a range from Canada through the USA, Central and South America to the southern tip of Chile ( IUCN
). Formerly included in the genus Felis, it is now classified into its own genus Puma, with the jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi) being the only other member of the genus. Both species are considered to be more closely related to the cheetah than any other cat species. Although previously 32 species were recognized, with 15 species listed in North America, genetic work by Dr. Melanie Culver et al. (2000), has determined that only six species occur, with only one distinct species, Puma concolor couguari, recognized in North America. The male puma ranges in weight from 140-220 lbs. Females are much smaller, weighing 80-130 lbs. Pumas tend to be larger in the northern regions of their range. Their habitat is diverse from forested areas to desert scrub, and from sea level up to 14,000 ft. The puma’s range often overlaps with the habitat and range of jaguars. Direct competition for prey may be reduced because pumas feed primarily on deer but are known to take peccaries, sheep, and small animals such as raccoons, whereas the primary prey choice of jaguars is the peccary. Habitat fragmentation mas in the wild. Con- servation efforts are focused on develop- ing better methods for assessing population density, and identify- ing corridors and con- nectivity between areas of suitable habitat. Chiricahua Leopard Frog
Pumas have been called by many names, catamount, cougar, longtails, mountain lions. The most taxo- nomically correct name for them is Puma, but in Ari- zona they will likely always be called mountain lions. Puma cub
The puma is the most widely distributed terrestrial mammal in the Americas, with a range from Canada through the USA, Central and South America to the south- ern tip of Chile.
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Photo by Alan & Sandy Carey Back to top 4 FEATURED CONSERVATION & SCIENCE ARTICLE Photo courtesy of Tara Sprankle No animal, not even the wolf or the bear, are more symbolic of frontier Arizona than the mountain lion (pronounced “line”). Early stock- men bellowed that they couldn’t raise cows or colts in Arizona Territory because of the depre- dations caused by lions. Those wanting a para- dise of game animals were of similar mind and lion removers became superheroes in real life and dime novels. Buffalo Jones and Uncle Jim- mie Owens obtained much of their reputations by capturing and killing lions, and such literary luminaries as Rex Beach and Zane Grey cel- ebrated Arizona’s wildness and their guides by following up on their baying hounds. The years following statehood were hard on lions as federal agents, determined to show the necessity of a federal presence, worked diligently to free Arizona of its lion menace. Although they appear to have reduced the lion’s numbers, they could not scotch the ani- mal’s persistence, and hunters such as the Lee brothers who tallied up a long list of victories enhanced the lions reputation nearly as much as their own. More difficult to poison than wolves or bears, lions were said to be more vulnerable to hunt down with dogs than trap or bait. So ingrained did dryland lion hunting become that a select cadre of houndsmen suc- ceeded in having the government refrain from the use of strychnine and other predacides from areas where lions were depredating. Arizona was changed forever by the life- styles that came in with World War II; sub- sistence ranching waned, and it seemed more rewarding to bounty lions than assign federal agents and professional trappers to destroy “longtails.” In 1947, a state bounty system was introduced, and once again lion bagging reputations soared. Most of the new stars had started out as ranchers or cowboys—not “gen- tlemen ranchers” but homesteading stockmen trained in the necessity to reduce the toll of varmints. The avocation to take up lion hunt- ing may have come on gradually or sudden— but chasing cats with hounds became more important than herding cows. Most impor- tantly, horses, dogs, and mules continued to be their stock in trade. Self taught, or men- tored, some became amazingly good at their craft. Ere long, each was dispatching lions as a service to his neighbors as to himself. Each hunter assumed a hunting territory and no real houndsmen infringed on another’s range without announcing his intentions. Every mountain had its lion hunter and each hunter a mountain range—Marvin Glenn patrolled the Dragoons and Chiricahuas, Giles Goswick hunted the Bradshaws, and Bill Workman worked the Mazatals, and so it went. Change came with the closing of the 1960s. Hunting lions for $50 a pop began to be unseemly, and bountying lions hadn’t made much difference in lion numbers regardless of the number of calves killed. Middle-aged ladies were the harbingers of change and a force more persuasive than federal agents, game managers or agency administrators. Compound 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate), a deadly poison used in antipredator collars, was banned and historic precedence gave way to perception in what was the great outdoor de- bate of the decade. Commission meetings and legislative sessions became arenas of change. In 1972 lions were no longer predators, but big game animals to be checked out and tal- lied. The average number of lions annually bountied was 225 and no one pointed out that the numbers had actually risen since 1947. No matter that lions could not really be managed like other big game species, i.e. be managed for maximum numbers consistent with the habitat. The important perception was that lions were no longer to be managed for minimum numbers. Tinkering with bag limits sought to direct the kill toward desert areas and changes in the season were proposed to protect kittens in others. Human action protocols de- veloped as lions continued to expand in distri- Arizona’s Mountain Lions: an Ever-Changing Legacy
Narrow-
Headed Gartersnake Thamnophis rufipunctatus We currently have five (three males and two females) nar- row-headed gartersnakes re- siding at the Conservation Center. All of the gartersnakes emerged from hibernation just fine, and all are active and eat- ing well. We are hopeful that we will be able to breed them this year. The Arizona Game and Fish Department has asked for our assistance in de- veloping a captive husbandry protocol for this species, and we continue to add to our un- derstanding of these snakes by observing them at the Center. Photo credit: www.cougarfund.org/naturalhistory/timeline “Conservation means the wise use of the earth and its resources for the lasting good of men.” – Gifford Pinchot “In 1947, a state bounty system was introduced, and once again lion bagging reputations soared. Most of the new stars had started out as ranch- ers or cowboys—not “gentlemen ranchers” but homesteading stockmen trained in the necessity to reduce the toll of varmints.” A RT H U R L . “ B U D
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Photo by Jeff Servoss, courtesy of USFWS Back to top 5 SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION ECOLOGY bution and maybe numbers as the annual har- vest for this big game animal topped 250. Arizona’s lion management presently re- flects an uneasy truce. Although livestock numbers have dropped, the numbers of dep- redating lions edges upward. Deer numbers and harvests have fallen, as have more recently the ranks of javelina and desert bighorn sheep. But, oddly enough, predator numbers have failed to follow suit. Game managers, who used to describe lions as being controlled from the bottom up, now talk about “top-down” management. One wonders if another change may be taking place. Two of the 22 ferrets born at the Phoenix Zoo Black-Footed Ferret
Earth Friends Challenge Earth Friends Wildlife Foundation is a public foundation committed to using its resources to support the work of more than 100 con- servation and wildlife protection groups. Founded in 1995 by Rick Flory, Earth Friends recognizes the need for partnership among the concerns of business, wildlife interests, and of those who will inherit the quality of life we create on this earth. They support the efforts of our scien- tists, socially responsible businesses, and community to create a sustainable future. They also make significant grants to National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges - our natural treasures and our legacy to future generations. Earth Friends carries a message of hope, of our connectedness, of the dignity for all life forms, and of a great and urgent need. Together, we can make a world of difference. Please help us match a significant challenge grant as part of this partnership. Your donation to The Phoenix Zoo Conservation and Science Center will support our work to provide critical support for Arizona’s na- tive species—Black-foot- ed ferrets, narrow-headed gartersnakes, Three Forks springsnail, Mount Gra- ham red squirrels, masked bobwhite quail, jaguar, Mexi- can wolves, and many others. Our goal is to raise $20,000. You can be part of our success! Click below now to help us reach our goal. Support Phoenix Zoo Conservation Earth Friends Wildlife Foundation SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION ECOLOGY Identifying Linkages and Corridors to Mitigate Habitat Fragmentation Jeff Williamson — President of Arizona Zoological Society
The Arizona Zoological Society and the Phoenix Zoo work hard on our community’s be- half and with partners to maintain, recover, and improve native species habitat and diversity as a way of contributing to a sustainable future. Rapid change driven by alterations in the natural system, the built community and cli- mate present real challenges to ecological functioning and the retention of diversity. The wildlife that is the foundation of the ecologies we depend upon need access to each other and to interact in ways that perpetuate their own kind, the habitat they depend upon, and the ecology of which they are a part. As our cities and suburbs grow, transportation and energy systems expand, extractive industries and recreation pressure natural areas, we are los- ing habitat connectivity. In some instances, we are losing population density as well as species. Fragmentation can occur at various special levels and may be caused by climate variation as well as invasive plant species and human development. A RT H U R L . “ B U D
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Back to top 6 SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION ECOLOGY US Fish and Wildlife Service Mount Graham
red squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis We are continuing progress towards developing a cap- tive breeding program for the Mount Graham red squirrel. Our current plan is to bring at least six squirrels from the wild in mid-June and work with two other zoos (Reid Park Zoo in Tucson and Miller Park Zoo in Illinois) to develop a successful breeding program. A recent genetics survey of the wild population of Mount Graham red squirrels revealed that the population appears to be very closely related geneti- cally. As a result, our captive breeding program will require intensive genetic management. As part of the AZA Population Management Plan guidelines, we will be working with the AZA Population Management Center, located at Lincoln Park Zoo, to develop a breeding pro- gram that attempts to maintain the maximum amount of genet- ic diversity in the population over time. We are working with regional, state, and fed- eral agencies, universities, and other NGO’s to try to mitigate for the effects of habitat fragmentation. Wildlife underpasses and overpasses are starting to be included in transportation improvements. Ur- ban open space plans now consider how wildlife skirts the urban core. Land managers are support- ing education programs that inform those in- volved in recreation about the effect of their activi- ties on the surrounding ecologies. All are engaged in investigations focused on a better understand- ing of population dynamics.
We can all play a role in trying to minimize the ef- fects of our choices on the ecologies we share with other life. Please refer to these web sites to learn even more about corridors, connectivity and the ef- fects of fragmentation. Corridor Design Arizona’s Wildlife Linkages Workgroup The Arizona Wildlife Linkages Workgroup is a collaborative effort consisting of nine agencies and non-profit organizations. The mission of this workgroup is “to identify and promote wildlife habitat connectivity using a collaborative, science based effort to provide safe passage for people and wildlife.” This col- laborative group began working together with the inaugural “Missing Linkages” workshop held at The Phoenix Zoo in April of 2004. Since then the workgroup consisting of biolo- gists, engineers, planners and land managers have worked together identify large blocks of habitat to be protected, and over 150 wild- life movement corridors through and between them, that are prioritized for developing link- age zones, and opportunities for conservation. Recently AZGFD has collaborated with the group within a wildlife corridors workgroup to identify critical corridors important for jaguar and other wildlife species conservation. Arizona Wildlife Link- ages group has identi- fied large blocks of habitat with over 150 linkages and corridors connecting them. A RT H U R L . “ B U D
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Mt. Graham Red Squirrel feeding Back to top 7 FIELD REPORTS FROM OUR PARTNERS Masked bob- whiteIt is be- lieved that there may only be a few dozen masked bobwhite quail left in North America. Masked
bobwhite quail
Colinus virginianus ridgwayi The only US population of masked bobwhite quail in ex- istence is a small number that has survived after numerous reintroduction attempts into the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge located in Sasabe, Arizona. It is believed that there may be less than a few dozen wild individu- als remaining in Arizona now. The USFWS has reinitiated a Recovery Team to review the existing MBQ Recovery Plan which was completed in 1995, and make recommendations for improving the plan where needed. Stuart Wells, Phoenix Zoo’s Director of Conservation and Science, is participating in the MBQ Recovery Team. The Phoenix Zoo has held and bred MBQ for several years, and is pleased to be involved in the recovery of this species. Jim Rorabaugh USFWS FIELD REPORTS FROM OUR PARTNERS Spotlighting Ferrets in Aubrey Valley Aubrey Valley is a 221,950-acre ferret release sight located in northern Arizona near Seligman. Approximately 43,000 acres are considered “core” release areas, areas with a high enough density of prairie dogs to support ferrets. In September of 1996 Aubrey Valley became the fourth black-foot- ed ferret (BFF) reintroduction sight in the country. Since 1996, 141 BFF have been released into the Aubrey Valley. In the first four years, no wild-born kits were captured during monitoring efforts. However, since 2001 there has been a steady in- crease in captured wild-born ferrets. In 2007, a record number of 66 were trapped in the valley, 65 of which were wild-born. The method used for locat- ing wild ferrets is called spot- lighting; this involves using a high-powered spotlight and sweeping the night landscape either on foot or from a vehicle, looking for the brilliant emerald eye-shine unique to BFF. Once a fer- ret is located, traps are set to attempt to capture it to determine if it is a youngster born in the wild, a previously captured adult wild-born animal, or a released ferret. Spotlighting is conducted biannually by Ari- zona Game and Fish Department’s staff biolo- gists, and utilizes a host of dedicated volunteers. Since BFF are nocturnal animals, the best time to observe them moving is from after sunset un- til dawn. Therefore, spotlighting events start in the late evening and run until morning, making for a long (but rewarding) day for everyone. The spring 2009 spotlighting took place from March 5-9. Ninety volunteers, including several Phoenix Zoo staff members from multiple depart- ments, were able to participate this year. Over the course of the four-day event 33 ferrets were caught, of these 24 were unique individuals, and 21 had never been captured before. Each of the unique animals captured had transponders placed between their shoulder blades and hips. These transponders uniquely identify each individ- ual in the event that they are recaptured. There have been 141 ferrets re- leased into Aubrey Valley, over the past 13 years. The Phoenix Zoo has released 85 ferrets born at our facility into this site. Aubrey valley is rated as a “success- ful” release site because it meets specific criteria: no population augmentations occur, translocations Black-Footed Ferrets
Spotlighting for ferrets in Aubrey Valley. “The method used for locating wild ferrets is called spotlighting; this involves using a high-powered spotlight and sweeping the night landscape either on foot or from a vehicle…” A RT H U R L . “ B U D ” &
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Back to top 8 FIELD REPORTS FROM OUR PARTNERS The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation ( NFWF ), has recently approved a Keystone Initiative project for the Apache trout recovery program. Under NFWF’s new strategic plan, they seek to achieve measurable outcomes on a select set of conservation issues through their Keystone Initiative. With each initiative, NFWF established specific funding priori- ties. For the Apache Trout Keystone Initiative, NFWF has established priorities to: 1) estab- lish 2-3 metapopulations of Apache trout, ex- panding current recovery populations; 2) habi- tat restoration on up to 10 streams on Forest and Tribal lands; and 3) develop and imple- ment monitoring protocols for all Apache trout recovery streams. These priorities have been funded at approximately $4.5 million dollars over a seven-year period, beginning in 2008. Gila top minnow. Photo © A. Hartl Desert pupfish
Rinne AZGFD Native Fish Highlights for 2008 Submitted by Jeff Sorenson—AZGFD Native Fish and Invertebrate Program Manager California Condor Reintroduction Submitted by Chris N. Parish—Peregrine Fund Project Director There are currently 74 birds in the Arizona/ Utah California condor population, eight of which are wild-hatched young. We have seven additional young condors awaiting release, and more at our breeding facility ready to be trans- ported to Arizona. The great news is that there were no lead- caused deaths this season. That makes two seasons in a row where although we did detect average rates of exposure, none of the condors were at dangerous lead poison levels. Breeding season is in full swing and the tem- peratures are on the rise. We have four to six pairs that should mate and with any luck, pro- duce eggs and chicks. At the time of this writing, we believe, based on behavior, that two pairs are incubating eggs in the North Country. With the warming temperatures and the snows receding, we expect explorations across northern Arizona and southern Utah will increase.
California Condors Gymnogyps californianus The Phoenix Zoo assists the federal California Condor Recovery Program by providing veterinary treatment of injured or ill birds. Phoenix Zoo has been involved with this program for 10 years. from the site are possible, and it has maintained a minimum of 30 animals over the years. Only four of the 18 ferret release sites nationwide have achieved this rating. All members of the Phoenix Zoo Conservation & Science department have participated in the spotlighting efforts. Our conservation technician Sharon Biggs has participated in at least 35 spot- lighting events since the beginning of the program, including the most recent event in March. We are proud to be a part of this long-term project and look forward to many more years of collaboration. NEWS &
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Kent Mosher Summer Intern The Conservation Center is pleased to announce Kent Mosher as our new summer intern. Kent is a senior at Ari- zona State University and is enrolled in the Conservation Biology program there. Kent is also a volunteer here at the Phoenix Zoo. Kent will begin his internship on May 18th. We are looking forward to working with him. We have two internships per year at present, one during the school year and one in the summer. If you are interested in an in- ternship please contact us at conservation@thephxzoo.com The practice of conser- vation must spring from a conviction of what is ethically and aesthetical- ly right, as well as what is economically expedi- ent. A thing is right only when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the com- munity, and the commu- nity includes the soil, waters, fauna, and flora, as well as people. – Aldo Leopold Photo by Chris Parish Back to top 9 The Phoenix Zoo supports the efforts of the Grevy’s Zebra Trust. We supplied funding in 2008 to help the trust conduct population sur- veys for the critically endangered Grevy’s zebra (Equus grevyi) in the African countries of Ethi- opia and Kenya. Here is a preliminary report about the survey excerpted from the Grevy’s National aerial survey of Grevy’s zebra re- veals encouraging results! The last comprehensive survey of Grevy’s zebra in Kenya was undertaken in the year 2000 (Nelson & Williams 2003), resulting in an esti- mated national population of 2,571 (± 136). In November 2008 the Kenya Wildlife Service, in collaboration with many partners including the Grevy’s Zebra Technical Committee, conducted an aerial survey of Grevy’s zebra in northern Ke- nya covering Laikipia, Samburu and Isiolo Dis- tricts and selected parts of Marsabit District. This survey was coordinated with the Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants count of elephants in the same region. The total number of Grevy’s zebra counted was 2,623 and a full report on the census will be available in due course. These results are extremely promising and reinforce the importance of the critical work being done by pastoral communities towards conserving the species. Community Conservation—Get Involved There are many ways to get involved with conservation. Here are a few links to local pro- grams that look for assistance from volunteers for a variety of conservation projects. Volunteers for Outdoors Arizona Volunteer.Gov Conservation Center Volunteer
Volunteer for the Tadpole Taskforce Grevy’s Zebra Trust On September 17, Cherry Spring and Swamp Spring, both in the Muleshoe Preserve Ecosystem in southern Arizona, were aug- mented with another 250 Gila topminnow and 250 desert pupfish. On the same day, a new site of the preserve, Headquarters Spring, was stocked with 250 Gila topminnow and 250 desert pupfish, because it was determined that the preserve’s Secret Spring populations of topminnow and pupfish were doing well, and were not yet in need of augmentation. A day later, approximately 250 Gila topminnow and 250 desert pupfish were collected from the TNC pond at Dudleyville, and transported and stocked into Oak Grove Canyon, a tributary to Aravaipa Creek. On October 31, Department staff stocked 975 Gila topminnow and 147 desert pupfish (both species from the TNC pond at Dud- leyville) into Bonita Creek. Bonita Creek was successfully chemically renovated at the begin- ning of the month to remove nonnative fishes. Resident Gila chub, desert and Sonora suckers, and longfin dace were salvaged prior to the ren- ovation and were released back into the creek after that effort. Loach minnow and spikedace were stocked into the creek in mid-October. Fossil Creek’s native fish assemblage con- tinues to improve, both in abundance and number of species. Following the initial stock- ings of Gila topminnow, loach minnow, and spikedace in November 2007, additional augmentations of these species were made in 2008, as well as an augmentation of longfin dace in February and stocking of razorback suckers in April. Researchers from Northern Arizona University report that the populations of roundtail chub/headwater chub, desert and Sonora suckers, and speckled dace are very robust and have increased in huge numbers since the diverted streamflow was returned to Fossil Creek in 2005. Apache Trout The Phoenix Zoo Conservation and Science Newsletter 455 N. Galvin Parkway Phoenix, AZ 85008 Phone: 602-273-1341 President/CEO of Phoenix Zoo NORBERTO “BERT” CASTRO Produced by: STUART WELLS Director of Conservation and Science Production Support JEFF WILLIAMSON President, Phoenix Arizona Zoological Society RUTH ALLARD Executive Vice President of Conservation and Education TARA SPRANKLE Conservation Manager Contact Us We value your feedback about this publication. Please sub- mit comments to conserva- tion@thephxzoo.com
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