Phoenix Area Snails | Arizona Wildlife Conservation Strategy

Northeastern Maricopa County (Phoenix metropolitan area and surrounding cities) has endemic land snails (Phoenix Talussnail, Superstition Mountains Talussnail (and the subspecies Sonorella s. taylori), and Eastern Desertsnail) found in several city and county desert mountain preserves, on Bureau of Land Management land in the southern Belmont Mountains, and on the western perimeter of Tonto National Forest.

Conservation Goals

Maintain and improve the status and distribution of these endemic SGCN snails and reduce threats to their populations and habitats.

Map

Primary Threats

3. Climate Change and Severe Weather

3.1: Habitat shifting and alteration

3.3: Temperature extremes

4. Residential and Commercial Development

4.1: Housing and urban areas

8. Invasive and Other Problematic Species

8.1: Invasive non-native species

9. Natural System Modifications

9.1: Fire and fire suppression

Potential Conservation Actions

2. Land and Water Management

2.1: Site/area management

Conserve a variety of habitats that support healthy populations of fish and wildlife as climate changes.
Work with city and county land managers to ensure that land snail habitat within their preserves and parks is managed to reduce impacts from recreational use and residential and commercial development.

2.2: Invasive/problematic species control

Control for invasive plant species such as buffelgrass, stinknet, and red brome that increase potential for wildfire that can alter sensitive habitats.

2.3: Habitat and natural process restoration

Identify and protect key wildlife corridors for landscape connectivity.
Implement projects focused on improving the quality of altered systems creating suitable habitat and/or habitat features for wildlife.
Maintain natural fire regimes on the landscape through prescribed burns and natural fire management.

3. Species Management

3.1: Management of specific species of concern

Implement long-term monitoring protocols for vulnerable species and habitats to inform adaptive management. Priority species for monitoring include Phoenix Talussnail and Superstition Mountains Talussnails (specifically the subspecies S. s. taylori).