Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge (Buenos Aires NWR) provides of

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

for threatened and endangered plants and animals. This refuge, in

Pima County, Arizona Pima County ( ) is a county in the south central region of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,043,433, making it Arizona's second-most populous county. The county seat is Tucson, where most of the population ...

, was established in 1985.

Natural history

The semidesert grassland supports the reintroduction of Masked quail and

pronghorn The pronghorn (, ) (''Antilocapra americana'') is a species of artiodactyl (even-toed, hoofed) mammal indigenous to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is known colloquially in North America as the American a ...

s. Prescribed and natural fires play a major role in maintaining and restoring the sea of grass that once filled the

Altar Valley The Altar Valley is a 45-mile (72 km) long north–south valley, trending slightly northeast from Sasabe, Arizona on the Mexico border to the Avra Valley west of the Tucson Mountains. It is delimited by Arizona State Route 86, from east-to-w ...

. Riparian (wetland) areas along Arivaca Cienega and Arivaca Creek attract an abundance of birds. Brown Canyon, to the west of the Arivaca Creek area, is nestled in the

Baboquivari Mountains Baboquivari may refer to: * 2059 Baboquivari, a near-Earth asteroid * Baboquivari Peak Wilderness, a protected area in the U.S. state of Arizona * Baboquivari National Forest Baboquivari National Forest was established as the Baboquivari Forest Re ...

, where a sycamore-lined stream meanders through oak woodland.

Fauna

The refuge is home to 58 mammal species. Among the larger species are

mule deer The mule deer (''Odocoileus hemionus'') is a deer indigenous to western North America; it is named for its ears, which are large like those of the mule. Two subspecies of mule deer are grouped into the black-tailed deer. Unlike the related whit ...

white-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...

javelina A peccary (also javelina or skunk pig) is a medium-sized, pig-like hoofed mammal of the family Tayassuidae (New World pigs). They are found throughout Central and South America, Trinidad in the Caribbean, and in the southwestern area of North ...

and puma. There are also more than 325 different bird species and 53 species of reptiles and amphibians. Reintroduced masked bobwhite (''Colinus virginianus ridgwayi'') are found in the refuge. Occasional

jaguar The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus '' Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...

vagrants are reported 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. The male jaguar, 'Macho B', is dead. The jaguar was euthanized after being captured on a snare trap.

Access

Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge Arivaca Creek 2015

Most of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge is open for visiting and research. Guided access is also available through Friends of Buenos Aires NWR programs. Some of the refuge (about 3% of its area) 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 Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders c ...

roughly away. As of 2010, this portion remains closed; however, the Fish and Wildlife Service reports a marked decline in violence.

Environmental degradation Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment (biophysical), environment through depletion of resources such as quality of air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems; habitat destruction; the extinction of wildlife; an ...

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 of garbage over two months in 2002."Dumping of Trash, Waste, Endemic in State with Flood of Illegal Immigration", Arthur H. Rotstein, Associated Press Newswires, Dateline Coronado National Memorial, Arizona July 12, 2004

Reference links

External links

*
Official website

Friends of Buenos Aires NWR website
{{Authority control Protected areas of the Sonoran Desert Grasslands of Arizona Protected areas of Pima County, Arizona National Wildlife Refuges in Arizona Landforms of Pima County, Arizona Wetlands of Arizona Protected areas established in 1985 1985 establishments in Arizona Protected areas of the Chihuahuan Desert

Natural history

Fauna

Access

See also

Reference links

External links