Mondays Escape - Chihuahuan Desert, US and Mexico Stretching from the southwestern United States deep into the Central Mexican Highlands, the Chihuahuan is one of the largest and most biologically diverse deserts in North America. A water crisis and other threats, however, are endangering the survival of wildlife and people living in this unique environment. Extending from the southeastern US states of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas deep into central Mexico, the Chihuahuan Desert offers a kaleidoscope of textures and colours that shape its unique landscapes. Pronghorn antelope, mule deer and grey fox roam the vast grasslands of the northern desert, while roadrunners, reptiles, jackrabbits and eagles live in the desert scrub. Other desert wildlife includes the jaguar, collared peccary, bighorn sheep, Mexican blackheaded snake and greater earless lizard. Little rain falls in the Chihuahuan, but the Rio Grande River - known as the Rio Bravo in Mexico - flows through the desert, providing a lifeline for all these animal and plants species, and the millions of people who live here. While the river supports an exceptional array of wildlife, water withdrawals as a result of population growth and intensive agricultural activities are threatening the health of this all important cross-border ecosystem. Overgrazing, invasive species and mining are also taking their toll on the environment. World Wildlife Fund is working on a number of projects to protect the Chihuahuan, which focus on restoring river habitats, and conserving grasslands and wetlands. Fostering collaboration on both sides of the US-Mexico border is key to successful conservation. Each year, millions of monarch butterflies migrate from Canada and United States to winter in the forests of central Mexico. Along the way they help cross-pollinate thousands of plants, including numerous cacti species in the Chihuahuan Desert. The Chihuahuan is home to about 345 of the worlds 1,500 cactus species. The cacti and other plants are a crucial part of the desert ecosystem, providing shelter and food for birds, bats and other animals. Local people also rely on cacti for medicinal use, such as a traditional Mexican arthritis treatment. Source: wwf.panda.org Images: ◘ Big Bend National Park and Chihuahuan Desert - creativecommons.org ◘ A remote camera shows an Arizona jaguar west of the proposed Rosemont Mine site in the mountains southeast of Tucson. The photographs come as federal wildlife officials consider designating more than 1,300 square miles in New Mexico and Arizona as critical habitat for the jaguar. - US Fish and Wildlife Service/AP ◘ The Collared Peccary - aneyefortexas.wordpress ◘ Ocotillo plant in the Chihuahuan Desert of Big Bend National Park (Texas) with a portion of the Sierra del Carmen mountain range in the background. - Wikipedia Commons ◘ Greater Roadrunner - Marc Borom ◘ Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake - Erik Enderson ◘ Chihuahua Desert Vegetation photo - Carol Cullar
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 15:02:04 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015