Arizona Wildlife Conservation Strategy

Santa Rita Wildlife Areas COA

The 53,750-acre Santa Rita Wildlife Area (SRWA) is located south of Tucson in the grasslands on the north side of the Santa Rita Mountains in Pima County. The boundary for the COA is concurrent with the boundary for the Santa Rita Experimental Range, owned by the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) with shared management by the University of Arizona (UA). The experimental range acts as an outdoor laboratory for UA’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

The COA is semi-desert grassland recently invaded by mesquite, cholla, catclaw acacia, and Lehmann lovegrass. As a result, the semidesert grassland habitat is converting into shrubland. Common wildlife species of the COA include cottontails, jackrabbits, coyotes, javelina, deer, quail, dove, and numerous lizards, snakes, rodents, and songbirds, many of which are SGCN.

Conservation Goals

  • Maintain and improve grassland habitats and reduce encroachment from woody plants.

Map

Primary Threats

1. Agriculture

1.3: Livestock farming and ranching

4. Residential and Commercial Development

4.1: Housing and urban areas

7. Human Intrusions and Disturbance

7.1: Recreational activities

8. Invasive and Other Problematic Species

8.1: Invasive non-native species

Potential Conservation Actions

1. Land and Water Protection

1.2: Resource and habitat protection
  • Develop conservation easements on public or private lands in order to maintain and protect wildlife corridors.

2. Land and Water Management

2.1: Site/area management
  • Improve management of cattle and other trespass livestock that may adversely-impact habitats.
  • Maintain and protect wildlife corridors from encroaching residential development around the COA.
  • Implement the AZGFD-UA MOU Wildlife Area plan to reduce adverse effects of OHV use and other irresponsible recreational activities.
2.2: Invasive/problematic species control
  • Monitor and manage woody and invasive plant species that are encroaching on native grassland habitats, including Lehmann's lovegrass and mesquite.
2.3: Habitat and natural process restoration
  • Reintroduce prescribed burns to increase habitat resiliency and improve quality of native grassland habitats.

7. External Capacity Building

7.2: Alliance and partnership development
  • Continue building partnerships to develop actionable and innovative grassland and range management strategies.

Habitats Present

Strategy Species

Birds

Buff-collared Nightjar, Golden Eagle, Northern Harrier, Rufous-winged Sparrow, Swainson's Hawk

Invertebrates

Santa Rita Talussnail, Sonoran Talussnail

Mammals

Antelope Jackrabbit, Cave Myotis, Fulvous Harvest Mouse, Lesser Long-nosed Bat, Mexican Long-tongued Bat, Pale Townsend's Big-eared Bat, Plains Harvest Mouse, Western Red Bat

Reptiles

Gila Monster, Ornate Box Turtle, Sonoran Coralsnake

Fish

See Associated Aquatic COAs for fish species.

Protected Areas and Other Areas of Conservation Value

  • Sant Rita Experimental Range

Potential Partners

  • US Forest Service - Coronado Ranger District
  • University of Arizona

Relevant Conservation Plans

  • Santa Rita Experimental Range

Associated Aquatic COAs

  • No associated Aquatic COAs