Wildlife use of two artificial water developments on the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, Southwestern Arizona.

Abstract

I studied vertebrate use of 2 artificial water developments on the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Arizona from March 1994 to August 1995 to assess their use by wildlife, especially regarding endangered Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis). The water developments lie within designated wilderness, and were constructed in the late 1950s specifically for Sonoran pronghorn. I used remote cameras to detect large mammals, live trapping for small mammals, pitfall trapping for reptiles, transect surveys for birds, pond surveys for amphibians, and mist-netting to detect bats. I observed 201 vertebrate species, but Sonoran pronghorn were not detected in remote camera photos. Large mammals, bats, birds, and amphibians used free-standing water, but the distribution of species within all taxa may have been affected by the dense growth of mesquite trees (Prosopis glandulosa) at each site. Maintenance of the sites may not benefit Sonoran pronghorn, and conflicts with wilderness management.