Palomas Plain | Arizona Wildlife Conservation Strategy

The Palomas Plains are bounded on the west by the Palomas and Kofa Mountains, the north by the Little Horn Mountains, and the south by the Gila River. Portions of the plain fall within the jurisdiction of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge and the Yuma Proving Ground. The area is a high use area for outdoor recreational activities such as hunting, wildlife viewing, and camping. It provides habitat for desert mule deer as well as other game species. In addition, the portion of the plain south of the interstate provides habitat for Sonoran pronghorn within the 10J recovery area outside of the Kofa NWR allowing them to utilize suitable habitat to expand their range within the recovery area.

Conservation Goals

Maintain the Palomas Plains as intact quality habitats that support a variety of SGCN.
Improve habitat connectivity between the Plain and adjacent open spaces.
Work with the renewable energy industry to plan and implement habitat improvement projects within the Palomas Plains which will improve wildlife resiliency if blocks of the habitat are developed.

Map

Primary Threats

3. Climate Change and Severe Weather

3.1: Habitat shifting and alteration

3.2: Droughts

6. Energy Production and Mining

6.3: Renewable energy

7. Human Intrusions and Disturbance

7.1: Recreational activities

7.2: War, civil unrest and military exercises

Potential Conservation Actions

2. Land and Water Management

2.1: Site/area management

Develop and enhance artificial waters on the landscape to support wildlife.

2.3: Habitat and natural process restoration

Restore native vegetation and habitats such as mesquite bosques at appropriate locations using adaptive management techniques to improve success.
Remove barriers to improve landscape connectivity of this important wildlife movement corridor.

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.

4. Education and Awareness

4.3: Awareness and communication

Increase awareness of effects of specific threats on wildlife species and habitats with an emphasis on how the threats can be reduced.

4.2: Training

Conduct research to better understand impacts of utility-scale solar energy production facilities on wildlife populations and movement in order to better inform site selection, avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures for projects.