Wildlife | AzSustainability.com
May 15
Endangered Species Day
icon1 Tracy Perkins | icon2 Arizona, Wildlife | icon4 05 15th, 2009| icon32 Comments »

MexicanThe U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is raising awareness of endangered species today across the country. The National Wildlife Federation blog has a great post on it (don’t forget to Tweet it!) including a cool challenge to learn one new endangered species for your area. “There are currently 1317 species listed in the U.S.: 746 plants and 571 animals. To find out what endangered species are near you, and how you can help, please visit www.fws.gov/endangered.” There are 73 species listed on the endangered species list just for Arizona! I’ve listed them below from the Southwest Endangered Species page of the FWS. They even break it down by county, they’ve done a great job with their page. Check out their suggestions for how to take action and do something positive for these dwindling species.
MexicanBlackArizona

Common Name Scientific Name Species Group Listing Status Species Image Species Distribution Map
Acuna Cactus Echinomastus erectocentrus var. acunensis Flowering Plants C
Apache trout Oncorhynchus apache Fishes T
Arizona Cliff-rose Purshia (=Cowania) subintegra Flowering Plants E
Arizona hedgehog cactus Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. arizonicus Flowering Plants E
bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus Birds DM
beautiful shiner Cyprinella formosa Fishes T
black-footed ferret Mustela nigripes Mammals E, EXPN
bonytail chub Gila elegans Fishes E
Brady pincushion cactus Pediocactus bradyi Flowering Plants E
brown pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Birds DM, E
California condor Gymnogyps californianus Birds E, EXPN
Canelo Hills ladies’-tresses Spiranthes delitescens Flowering Plants E
Chiricahua leopard frog Rana chiricahuensis Amphibians T
Cochise pincushion cactus Coryphantha robbinsorum Flowering Plants T
Colorado pikeminnow (=squawfish) Ptychocheilus lucius Fishes E, EXPN
desert pupfish Cyprinodon macularius Fishes E
desert tortoise Gopherus agassizii Reptiles SAT, T
Fickeisen plains cactus Pediocactus peeblesianus fickeiseniae Flowering Plants C
Gierisch mallow Sphaeralcea gierischii Flowering Plants C No Image
Gila chub Gila intermedia Fishes E
Gila topminnow (incl. Yaqui) Poeciliopsis occidentalis Fishes E
Gila trout Oncorhynchus gilae Fishes T
gray wolf Canis lupus Mammals DR, E, EXPN, T
Headwater Chub Gila nigra Fishes C
Holmgren milk-vetch Astragalus holmgreniorum Flowering Plants E
Huachuca springsnail Pyrgulopsis thompsoni Snails C
Huachuca water-umbel Lilaeopsis schaffneriana var. recurva Flowering Plants E
Hualapai Mexican vole Microtus mexicanus hualpaiensis Mammals E
humpback chub Gila cypha Fishes E
jaguar Panthera onca Mammals E
Jones Cycladenia Cycladenia jonesii (=humilis) Flowering Plants T
Kanab ambersnail Oxyloma haydeni kanabensis Snails E
Kearney’s blue-star Amsonia kearneyana Flowering Plants E
Lemmon fleabane Erigeron lemmonii Flowering Plants C
lesser long-nosed bat Leptonycteris curasoae yerbabuenae Mammals E
Little Colorado spinedace Lepidomeda vittata Fishes T
loach minnow Tiaroga cobitis Fishes T
masked bobwhite (quail) Colinus virginianus ridgwayi Birds E
Mexican spotted owl Strix occidentalis lucida Birds T
Mount Graham red squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis Mammals E
Navajo sedge Carex specuicola Flowering Plants T
New Mexican meadow jumping mouse Zapus hudsonius luteus Mammals C No Image
New Mexico ridgenose rattlesnake Crotalus willardi obscurus Reptiles T
Nichol’s Turk’s head cactus Echinocactus horizonthalonius var. nicholii Flowering Plants E
northern aplomado falcon Falco femoralis septentrionalis Birds E
Northern Mexican gartersnake Thamnophis eques megalops Reptiles C No Image
ocelot Leopardus (=Felis) pardalis Mammals E
Page springsnail Pyrgulopsis morrisoni Snails C
Peebles Navajo cactus Pediocactus peeblesianus peeblesianus Flowering Plants E
Pima pineapple cactus Coryphantha scheeri var. robustispina Flowering Plants E
razorback sucker Xyrauchen texanus Fishes E
relict leopard Frog Rana onca Amphibians C No Image
San Bernardino springsnail Pyrgulopsis bernardina Snails C No Image
San Francisco Peaks groundsel Senecio franciscanus Flowering Plants T
Sentry milk-vetch Astragalus cremnophylax var. cremnophylax Flowering Plants E
Siler pincushion cactus Pediocactus (=Echinocactus,=Utahia) sileri Flowering Plants T
Sonora chub Gila ditaenia Fishes T
Sonora tiger Salamander Ambystoma tigrinum stebbinsi Amphibians E
Sonoran pronghorn Antilocapra americana sonoriensis Mammals E
Sonoyta mud turtle Kinosternon sonoriense longifemorale Reptiles C
southwestern willow flycatcher Empidonax traillii extimus Birds E
spikedace Meda fulgida Fishes T
Stephan’s Riffle beetle Heterelmis stephani Insects C
Three Forks Springsnail Pyrgulopsis trivialis Snails C
Virgin River Chub Gila seminuda (=robusta) Fishes E
Welsh’s milkweed Asclepias welshii Flowering Plants T
woundfin Plagopterus argentissimus Fishes E, EXPN
Yaqui catfish Ictalurus pricei Fishes T
Yaqui chub Gila purpurea Fishes E
yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus Birds C
Yuma clapper rail Rallus longirostris yumanensis Birds E
Zuni bluehead Sucker Catostomus discobolus yarrowi Fishes C
Zuni fleabane Erigeron rhizomatus Flowering Plants T
Dec 2

That picture is of our darling girl, Kaylee. She is part chow, part golden retriever and 100% love. She is one of our furry children and she is a rescue. She didn’t have any back story at all, she is young and full of love and life yet she ended up at Rescue a Golden, AZ. Some folks don’t realize this happens. Fabulous dogs and cats for random crazy reasons end up at shelters, the shelters are over run (spay and neuter!) and so they don’t get much time to find a home before they have lost their lives.  It is no fault of the shelter, it is a lack of funds, a lack of space, and just too many critters that necessitates this unfortunate strategy which leads to 4-5 million deaths of cats and dogs each year.

Here are some interesting numbers from the Humane Society:

Statistics:

(Estimates)

Each day about 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. As compared to approximately 10,000 humans born each day, with birth rates this high, there will never be enough homes for these animals.

70,000/day

The estimated number of feral (homeless/wild) cats in the United States:

60 – 100 million

Theoretically, the number of cats that can be produced by a female cat and her offspring in 7 years time:

420,000 in 7 yrs

Theoretically, the number of dogs that can be produced by a female dog and her offspring in 6 years time:

67,000 in 6 yrs

Current number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year: 6-8 million
HSUS estimate
Current number of cats and dogs euthanized by shelters each year: Despite these horrific numbers, there is hope.  In 1973, approximately 13 million animals were euthanized by shelters, before the onset of public awareness and spay/neuter programs. 4-5 million
HSUS estimate
Percentage of all dogs entering shelters that are killed: 61%
Percentage of all cats entering shelters that are killed: 75%
Percentage of dogs in shelters who are purebred: 25%
HSUS estimate
The cost imposed on U.S. taxpayers each year to impound, shelter, euthanize, and dispose of homeless animals. $2 billion
USA Today estimate

The problem is obvious, there are too many abandoned animals and not enough money to care for them. More funds are needed to support animal shelters which gets me to the point of this post. Most everyone is struggling financially right now.  Abandonment rates are up as people surrender loved pets they cannot afford to care for any more. Shelters are feeling the sting of the recession, too, as people close their wallets to donations and charity. In comes a contest that will award much needed funds to deserving animal rescues based on your votes!  Here is the information I recieved:

How the contest works:

Anyone can visit Care2.com/animalsheltercontest and select their favorite animal shelter or rescue group. Then, you can tell neighbors and friends to do the same! The shelter or rescue group with the most votes wins $10,000.

In addition to the grand prize:

  • Second and third place winners will each receive $1,000. The groups that place 4th through 20th will each win $500.
  • Every week, a randomly selected participating group (five or more votes that week) will win $500.
  • The 20 contest participants who recruit the most friends to vote for their favorite shelter will receive a $50 gift certificate for pet products as special thank-you gifts.

So, get started voting and spread the word!

Click here to find your favorite shelters in your state.

Click here for Arizona Animal Shelters.

This picture is of our kitty, Fia. We rescued her from the Arizona Animal Welfare League six years ago. She was a little scrawny stray. She was so brown and matted up they had to shave her so we thought she was a short hair. When we brought her home… *poof* her beautiful snow white mane and onyx black tail exploded into all its fluffy glory.  She is the queen of the house, our very first critter and we adore her.  Arizona Animal Welfare League will definitely get our vote as our other rescue (Rescue a Golden, AZ) is not listed.

Rescued animals come in all shapes and sizes with all different temperments. They are just like people, everyone has their own personality.  It is ridiculous to me to think that someone would purchase an animal from a pet store (most of which support puppy mills) or from a breeder for hundreds or even thousands of dollars when so many wonderful dogs, cats, and other little critters need homes, too.

This is your chance to support a good shelter by casting your vote. Also, with the holiday season coming up consider donating to your favorite shelter in your loved one’s name rather than purchasing gifts.  Those lonely dogs and cats need it more than your husband needs a new gadget or your wife needs that designer purse.

Sep 25

So much to be done.. so many opportunities to do it!  There are public lands all over AZ in need of some sprucing (or major overhauling) and this Saturday is your chance to help out! With locations all over the state from the Grand Canyon to Yuma, to Phoenix or Flag you are sure to find a spot within driving distance.  This is a great chance for all of us to get involved but also to get kids involved with giving back to the community and enjoying nature at the same time.


National Public Lands Day
Saturday, September 27, 2008

National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands Americans enjoy. In 2007, 110,000 volunteers built trails and bridges, planted trees and plants, and removed trash and invasive plants. Join us for the 15th annual National Public Lands Day

Sep 12

NWF is looking for a few good neighbors! Are you into greening you house, making your yard into a habitat for nature, saving fuel, and generally doing good things for the planet? If so NWF is looking for new members to take the good neighbor pledge. Take the pledge here and join our friend Danielle’s Neighborhood. She is a dedicated NWF employee that has started a online good neighborhood. Once you have joined she’ll post up your picture and a link to your website if you’d like.

To join up requires a $15 donation to NWF which goes toward protecting wildlife and the environment. The good neighbor program is a great way to affirm your dedication to taking care of the planet, your community, and joining a community of like minded neighbors.

NWF Good Neighbor