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The
Sonoran Desert Ecosystem
Despite the heat and minimal precipitation, certain flora and
fauna thrive in the Sonoran Desert. Throughout
the desert environment, you'll find one of the most
diverse ecosystems in North America, although it will
take some close inspection to realize.
Mountain lions, bobcats, mule deer, javelina,
ring-tailed cats, coyotes and even bighorn sheep call
the Sonoran Desert home. Smaller creatures such as
gila monsters, desert tortoises, roadrunners, quail,
jackrabbits and cottontails also thrive. A wide
variety of desert plants are adapted to the low rainfall
and humidity and range from mesquite and palo verde
trees to brittlebush, and of course, the mighty
saguaro. Cacti and creosote flourish in the desert
along with a wide array of wildflowers, which make their
annual debut in early spring and occasionally, after the
beginning of the monsoon.
Bird watching is one of the most popular activities in
the desert due to the diversity and quantity of birds
that migrate through these parts each year.
Riparian areas provide the best backdrop for viewing
raptors, cardinals, phainopepla, wrens, orioles,
curve-billed thrashers and of course, doves. For
more detailed information about Sonoran Desert wildlife
and plants, as well as natural history, please visit the
Arizona
Sonoran Desert Museum. |
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The photographs above and throughout this web site were
taken by AnalyGIS,
unless otherwise noted, using a Canon
PowerShot G1 digital camera and
may not be used without prior written permission.
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Copyright 2007. All rights
reserved.
For questions, please contact info@superstition-sar.org.
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