Photo By Sgt. Aaron Diamant | A newly relocated Sonoran Pronghorn stands in its new habitat with 22 others who were...... read more read more
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YUMA, Ariz. - In the damp, dark and bitterly cold pre-dawn hours, amongst the creosote bushes and saguaro cacti, a section of the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge was already bustling as members of the Sonoran Pronghorn Recovery Team prepared for a long day of work.
As the sun began to peek over the mountains, a convoy of trucks containing nearly 50 men and women departed the camp site to capture, vaccinate, tag and collar 61 of the 75 critically endangered Sonoran Pronghorn who reside in a captive breeding pen on the refuge, Dec. 18-20. Of those animals, 22 were destined to leave the pens and journey via helicopter to other desert areas including the Barry M. Goldwater Range West, the Kofa Range and the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
The animals destined for the BMGR-West were to join nearly 14 wild pronghorn known to be in the area, beefing up the herd strength of these desert ghosts. The animals introduces to the area were also fitted with radio collars, allowing biologists and researchers to better track their movements and habits.
In 2010, after days of aerial surveying, wildlife biologists estimated there were only approximately 70 Sonoran Pronghorn in the wild. This year, the estimate is 159, which is a vast improvement, said Jill Bright, an Arizona Dept. of Game and Fish wildlife specialist.
The U.S. population very nearly died out in 2002, when a 13-month drought wiped out all but 21 animals. Today, with the help of some very dedicated friends, the Sonoran Pronghorn is coming back.
Many of the transported animals were headed to the Kofas, to establish a new population in an area devoid of Sonoran Pronghorn for more than 100 years.
The work was not easy for the crews, who had to separate, capture, transport, vaccinate and collect blood samples from each animal. The animals being transported by helicopter also had to be anesthetized for the flight. All of the work had to take place with lightning speed and precision, to minimize the stress and impact on the animals.
“These are the hardest animals in the world to keep alive,” said Dr. Ole Alcumbrac, director of Wildlife Health Services. “This is a very unique operation; no one else in the world does this. We have to catch them fast, make them forget about it fast and get them released fast to reduce stress and increase survivability.”
While the Sonoran Pronghorn is the fastest land mammal in North America, its spindly legs and thin skin make them quite fragile. But working with the animals over the last 10 years, the team has perfected their technique, quickly assimilating the new volunteers into the process.
Strikingly, the team was as diverse as it was large, bringing a variety of biologists, veterinarians, military and law enforcement officials, as well as sportsmen together for the common goal of helping a critically endangered species.
The recovery team was comprised of wildlife biologists and managers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Department of Game and Fish and Bureau of Land Management, as well as representatives from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Luke Air Force Base, and the U.S. Border Patrol, and members of the Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club.
“I felt lucky to be invited out here to this excellent display of unity with the military, wildlife community and law enforcement, all standing side-by-side to help these animals and give them a fighting chance,” said Col. Robert Kuckuk, MCAS Yuma commanding officer, who spent a day wrangling pronghorn. “It was well worth our time to help this endangered species on the lands we’ve been entrusted with.”
The entire crew worked tirelessly from sun up to sun down, day after day for three and a half days, and they’ve been doing it every year for the last 10 years. Their only rewards for their hard work and determination are in the growing numbers of wild Pronghorn, and the warm feeling they get from helping save a species. In the bitter early morning cold, any warm thoughts are cherished.
“This is the quickest recovery of a species ever,” said Alcumbrac. “The Sonoran Pronghorn could well-replace the Peregrine Falcon as the poster-child for a speedy recovery.”
While the Sonoran Pronghorn’s numbers are growing, the work isn’t done for the men and women working to save the species, but their goal is closer to realization with each year.
“Our ultimate goal is, of course, to get the pronghorn population to the point they can be taken off the endangered species list,” said Bobby Law, MCAS Yuma station biologist.
With the continued support of the Sonoran Pronghorn Recovery Team, that goal will one day become reality.
| Date Taken: | 12.18.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 01.04.2013 17:39 |
| Story ID: | 99944 |
| Location: | YUMA, AZ, US |
| Web Views: | 229 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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