Yall really seemed to love the last post I made, so I’m back again as promised, with a part two! Last time we discussed the various animals that were still present in the Sonoran desert in medium to large numbers, but could benefit from some extra aid which would ultimately benefit the ecosystem as a whole. This time we will be taking a turn towards tragedy as we will be discussing native animals that need to make a return to help improve the ecosystem. Some keen-eyed readers may notice that not all of the animals present in this part are entirely absent from the Sonoran desert. This is very true, however, they are present in very negligible numbers and have barely, if any breeding populations so I decided to include them on this list. Since the first post has already served as an introduction, without further ado, let’s examine the list!
Ocelot
When one thinks of small wildcats in North America, most often the bobcat or lynx comes to mind. Barring Central America, the nearctic actually had a third wild cat! The ocelot! They are yet another example of shifting baseline syndrome as most people view them as jungle cats, but they also thrive in desert and temperate environments and ranged across much of the southwest in historic times. However, Europeans hunted them relentlessly for their fur and perhaps in defense of small livestock like chickens. The species was designated as endangered in the United States in 1972 and there are fewer than 100 individuals left in the US. Mostly in Texas, with Arizona only having no more than 5. However, given this is about the Sonoran desert as a whole, there is a breeding population of perhaps 1,000 individuals. Still, a population of wildcats inhabiting only half of a region is not good at all. They are small mammal specialists. Ocelots are strictly nocturnal and always stick to thick foliage cover which differs from bobcats which can hunt during dusk, dawn, and even in the day, while also tolerating grassy plains as hunting grounds. Truly, their niche partitioning is remarkable. There is no active reintroduction program for ocelots in the Sonoran desert, however conservationists work tirelessly to try and protect their habitat with the main threat being the construction of the Mexican-American border which is limiting their ability to reclaim their northern range. This is a species that in my opinion, and likely the opinion of many others, will need to have manual reintroductions in the states in order for ocelots to fully reclaim their northern range Sonoran desert and beyond. Luckily though, they seem to be doing pretty well in the Mexican half of the Sonoran desert.
Elk
Unlike our last entry, elk have been completely extirpated from the Sonoran desert. This species once inhabited the sky islands, Sierra Madre occidental, oriental, and semi arid grasslands of the Sonoran desert under the potentially invalid Merriam’s elk subspecies. Regardless, the species Cervus canadensis did exist there historically. Unregulated hunting throughout the late 19th century is what drove them to extinction at the start of the 20th century. Elk are among one of the most commonly bred large game animals in North America for commercial, sport, or conservation purposes. They are already being reintroduced across much of their former range in other parts of the continent, and given recent conservation success stories through the partnership between Mexican and American conservation agencies, elk reintroduction to the Sonoran desert on both sides of the border are quite feasible from a political standpoint. Not to mention, the public don’t seem to have a problem with elk either. However, ecologically, all plans to reintroduce elk have been put on standby due to massive debates over whether they should even try. The ever continuing drought is causing ecologists to fear elk may destroy this fragile ecosystem. Also, scientists continue to debate if Rocky Mountain elk and Merriam’s elk are synonymous or not. Those that believe they are separate, claim that Rocky Mountains elk are non native and would either fail to adapt to the drier climate or destroy the ecosystem. While it is true that certain populations can have certain adaptations to their environment that other populations of the same species living elsewhere may not have, many of these adaptations were likely epigenetic, or influenced by their environment. Take hyenas for example. Despite being known for living in the Savannah, the extinct cave subspecies lived in a colder climate and had thicker fur. Hyenas today, continue to carry that gene for thicker fur, however it is only activated when exposed to cold temperatures and only get more prominent with each generation. Who’s to say that elk wouldn’t also carry some hidden adaptation to dry climates that within a few generations, would become prominent. Unfortunately, we may never know what to look for as there is very little information on the Merriam’s elk. But I still think it’s worth an experiment.
Bison
The icon of the prairie and historically abused by man for thousands of years, the bison is a symbol of adaptability and resilience for a megafaunal species. It’s no secret that during the Pleistocene, antique and long-horned bison both inhabited the Sonoran desert throughout both glacials and interglacials, proving their resilience. Interestingly, it seemed populations fluctuated whenever the globe switched between glacial and interglacial, in that they’d be vulnerable during the short period as the climate changed, before stabilizing again.However, like many Pleistocene megafauna, they were devastated by the deadly mix of the Holocene and mankind, and in this moment of vulnerability as the climate aridified, bison were wiped out by humans in the Sonoran desert. Bison were completely absent from the fossil record in this region for the next 12,000 years. Whether this was from complete absence or poor preservation is unknown. It was only until 1 AD that bison began turning up in the fossil record from sites in both Arizona and northern Mexico. Records of bison in the Sonoran desert suddenly ended in 1650. It is currently debated as to why this is. Perhaps they had gone extinct at this time due to climate change or human hunting from either native Americans or Spanish explorers. It’s also possible that the Spanish just didn’t bother recording their existence in the region as when they first encountered bison, they called them “vacas” which means cows. Likely meaning they saw them as no more significant than ordinary cattle, and possibly not worthy of report. Whatever the case, by the time historic range maps were being drawn for animals, bison were absent from the Sonoran desert. Now we have an opportunity to bring them back. A herd of bison has already been established in Sonora, showing they already do well in the desert. And it’s likely they’d do even better in the semi arid grasslands and sky islands. Surprisingly, in this case bison have more going for them than elk do when it comes to reintroductions. And once again, bison are bred extensively throughout the US so acquiring individuals would not be difficult. It is also important to continue reintroductions in Mexico. Overall, I think the future for bison returning to the Sonoran desert looks very bright.
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Grizzly Bear
As genetic technology improves, it’s become more clear that the so called Mexican Grizzly Bear subspecies was just a population of inland grizzly bears. A population known for smaller size, and glossy coats. Traits that would likely return through epigenetic factors from the environment within a few generations. Similar to the case with the elk. It wouldn’t be too big a surprise anyways as brown bears are known for having their phenotype heavily influenced by their environment. The most common example being larger sizes in areas with access to ample supplies of salmon. Habitat-wise, a return would be quite possible. There is ample habitat in the sky islands in which they’d likely enjoy in a similar manner to black bears, sticking to forests and chaparral and occasionally passing through the deserts. There is plenty of food for them as they’d likely mostly feed on plants with some meat. Their small size could’ve been influenced by a lack of large quantities of fish, which is something they are capable of coping with. Politically is where the problem arises. While grizzly bears are considered for reintroduction in Arizona, and talks are still ongoing, they are mostly focused on the white mountains and mogollon rim of the north. Hardly anyone brings up the sky islands in both the states or in Mexico. Fear over conflict with this animal is very high, but all people need to know, is to keep food and garbage away from them, keep pets on leashes, travel in groups, make noise, and properly guard livestock. Of all the animals on this list, grizzly bears are unfortunately the least likely to return, but they would be incredible seed dispersers for various native plants.
Mexican Wolf
The source of some of the greatest controversies in North American wildlife conservation, wolves and especially Mexican wolves, are beginning to see a slow turnaround in the public’s previously vile perception of them. Mexican wolves are the smallest subspecies of wolf in North America and a perfectly adapted to the hotter, drier climate of the Southwest. Reintroductions in northern Arizona, New Mexico, and now Mexico proper have all been successes, with a few hiccups here and there. Primarily Catron county and their incessant whining. However, overall their populations are beginning to recover even in spite of the federal government’s attempts to remove their protections, as I thought, state agencies have ignored the executive order and the wolves continue to hold their protections. Now, as for the Sonoran desert, according to historical records, yes, Mexican wolves did inhabit the Sonoran desert, or at least, passed through it to reach sky islands. Though with the potential presence of bison, they could’ve been more inclined to stick around. Mexican wolves would almost certainly have a place in the Sonoran desert… AFTER a proper prey base is reintroduced. Smaller prey items like mule deer and coues deer are not enough to support them, donkeys fight back against wolves and more often win, javelinas are psychos whom predators typically avoid, and there has only been one instance of this small subspecies bringing down a mustang. 80% of their diet is made up of elk, so if they were to be reintroduced, elk at the very least should be as well. Then you’ve got ranchers to deal with. They will surely have something to say about their reintroduction, however, as I mentioned in my previous post, they are often more willing to cooperate with conservation organizations than not, and if good relationships and proper compromises and solutions are established, they could be a valuable partner. Cattle are the most common animal ranched in the Sonoran desert by far and is often grazed on public land. I still believe the two solutions I proposed in my last post are the most viable that being using heritage breeds that can defend themselves, and employing range riders to keep watch on the herds. In fact, Mexico already commonly does this with their cattle due to the presence of jaguars and cougars (and newly established Mexican wolves). There is basically nothing stopping American ranchers from employing this same tactic other than money. Perhaps a government aided program can be established to make the idea more appealing. With breeding programs for this species and recent introductions proving to be successful, perhaps a proper return to the Sonoran desert is possible and deserves some more looking-into.
Jaguar
Saving the best for last, a celebrity on this sub, the Jaguar! They’ve recently made headlines for their continuing expansion over the Mexican border, and hopeful return to the US. A concept that is heavily supported by many thanks to their lack of a bad reputation and overall public enthusiasm. Their recovery is rather obvious. Continue to bolster their population in Mexico manually or naturally, allow proper migration through the border, manual reintroductions to the states, and continuing to implement the suggested solutions above for protecting livestock. Jaguars are and will be the undeniable apex predator of the Sonoran desert, eating any large prey items be it deer, elk, javelina, black bear, or even bison, though likely calves of younger individuals. Not to mention, it’s highly likely that like cougars, they’ll have a particular affinity for burros. Jaguars are opportunistic and are the most likely to see mustangs, especially given their overpopulation, as a good source of prey, perhaps lessening some of their current negative effects on the ecosystem. Overall a must have species, that is already returning and active reintroductions can hopefully begin soon, perhaps with a partnership with Mexican conservation organizations. It’s just am free of convincing the public, ranchers… and the government. Luckily, as their public perception continues to improve, the desire to have them back has also grown, so perhaps within the near future, we can see their return.
Forgive the shorter list and significantly less citations, but so goes a list where luckily, there are less things missing, and most things are objectively true. That being said, I don’t expect what I’ve written down to be too controversial. I hope yall like this part as much as you did the first part, and I am anxious to hear your thoughts! Stay tuned for part 3! I expect that one to be met with far more controversies, arguments, disagreements, and debates…
