Desert Mountains Complex | Arizona Wildlife Conservation Strategy

This COA contains several small desert mountain ranges, including Muggins, Gila, Laguna, and Castle Dome. The Gila River flows between the Gila, Muggins, and Laguna Mountains and while these mountain ranges are separated geographically by only a short distance, substantial impediments to species movement lie between them. Bighorn sheep and many other species move between the Muggins, Laguna, Gila, and Castle Dome Mountains which lie to the northeast across the Castle Dome Plain.

The low-lying areas between the ranges now contain transportation corridors, important agricultural production areas and their infrastructure, as well as other types of development, which can severely fragment existing wildlife habitats. Interstate 8 runs east-west through Telegraph Pass within the Gila Mountains and Highway 95 runs north-south from Yuma separating the Laguna Mountains from the Gila and Muggins Mountains.

Conservation Goals

Improve connectivity between mountain ranges for bighorn sheep and other species movement

Map

Primary Threats

1. Agriculture

1.1: Annual and perennial nontimber crops

1.3: Livestock farming and ranching

3. Climate Change and Severe Weather

3.2: Droughts

3.3: Temperature extremes

4. Residential and Commercial Development

4.1: Housing and urban areas

7. Human Intrusions and Disturbance

7.1: Recreational activities

7.2: War, civil unrest and military exercises

8. Invasive and Other Problematic Species

8.1: Invasive non-native species

11. Transportation and Service Corridors

11.1: Roads and railroads

Potential Conservation Actions

2. Land and Water Management

2.1: Site/area management

Maintain and improve wildlife water catchments.

2.2: Invasive/problematic species control

Manage horse and burro populations within Herd Management Areas at appropriate management levels.

2.3: Habitat and natural process restoration

Implement projects focused on improving the quality of altered systems creating suitable habitat and/or habitat features for wildlife.
Remove range fencing from pastures on retired allotments to facilitate wildlife movement across the landscape.

3. Species Management

3.3: Species reintroduction

Continue to support Sonoran pronghorn reintroduction and recovery through capture-and-release operations and habitat improvement projects across their range.