  The only point in the United States at which four states adjoin is where Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico come together. With adjacent portions of California, Nevada, and Texas, they contain all of our Southwestern Desert. Arizona and New Mexico especially, are known as desert States and for the most part deserve that appellation. Scattered over this desert country as though carelessly strewn by some giant hand are some of the highest and most beautiful mountains in our Nation. They may occur as isolated peaks magnificent in their loneliness, or as short ranges that continue but a little way before sinking to the level of the desert. On the other hand it is in Colorado that the Rocky Mountains reach their greatest height before merging with the high country in New Mexico, and all of the States mentioned have at least one range of major size. Two great highways cross this area from East to West. U.S. 66, “Mainstreet of America,” goes by way of Albuquerque and Flagstaff to Los Angeles; farther north U.S. 50 winds through the mountains from Pueblo to Salt Lake City and terminates at San Francisco. Significantly, they meet at St. Louis on their eastward course, and here for the moment we digress from geography to history. Westward HoSt. Louis in 1800 was a brawling frontier town. Strategically located at the point where the Missouri River meets the Mississippi, it was the jumping off place for those hardy souls adventurous enough to forsake the comforts of civilization for the unknown perils of the West. Already St. Louis was one of the fur centers of the world. Fashions of the day decreed that top hats be worn by men. The finest hats were made of beaver fur and no self-respecting dandy could be content with less. Trapping parties ascended the Missouri River as far as the mountains of Montana in search of pelts with which to supply the demand. When the animals became scarce in more accessible areas, trappers turned their attention to the mountains of New Mexico and Colorado. Hardships of the overland route, coupled with danger of attack by hostile Indians, discouraged all but the most hardy of a rugged breed. These “Mountain Men” as they became known, traveled in small parties with all the stealth and cunning of the Indians themselves. Gaunt from weeks of travel across the plains, they could rest in the Spanish settlement of Santa Fe for a few days before vanishing into the mountains. On the return trip they might again visit the Spanish pueblo or, eager for the night life of St. Louis, strike directly eastward across the prairies. Today’s highways, while not following their trails directly, certainly parallel them to a great degree. Little is known today of these early adventurers. A few written accounts have been printed, meager records of their catches have been noted, and here and there crude initials and dates carved on isolated Mountains as Wildlife ReservoirsToday’s traveler spans in hours distances across these same routes that took weary weeks of heartbreaking toil a century ago. As he rides in cushioned ease he seldom pauses to reflect on the changes that have taken place since those early days. The great herds of bison with their attendant packs of wolves have vanished and in their place white-faced cattle graze on the level prairies. In the foothills the pronghorns have taken their last stand. Cities have sprung up on the camping sites of nomadic tribes that roamed the whole area between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. Only the mountains seem the same. In winter these massive ranges form a barrier against the storms that sweep in from the northwest. More important—these great storehouses of our natural resources that in early days meant only gold and furs, and perhaps sudden death to the pioneers, have now been unlocked by their descendants. The glitter of gold and the glamour of furs pales when contrasted with the untold values that have since been taken out in the baser metals and lumber. This phase too is now coming to an end. It is becoming evident that in the face of our ever increasing population these natural playgrounds are destined to become a buffer against the tensions that we, as one of the most highly civilized peoples of the world, undergo in our daily life. Within another century they will represent one of the few remaining opportunities for many millions of Americans to get close to nature. As such the proper development and preservation of mountainous areas and their values is of vital importance to our Nation. Mountains of the Southwestern States have been formed by three major agencies. These are, in order of importance, shrinkage of the earth’s interior to form wrinkles on the surface; faulting, with subsequent erosion of exposed surfaces; and volcanic action. The first method is responsible for most of the large ranges, such as the coastal mountains of California and the Rocky Mountains. Faulting is responsible for many of the high plateau areas where one side may be a high rim or cliff and the other a gently sloping incline. The Mogollon Rim, extending across a part of Arizona and into New Mexico, is a classic example in this category. Volcanic action may result in great masses of igneous rock being extruded through cracks in the earth’s surface or it may take the form of violent outbursts in one comparatively small area. Several mountain regions in Arizona and New Mexico are covered with huge fields of extruded lava. Capulin Mountain in New Mexico is an example of a recent volcano which built up an almost perfect cone of cinders and lava. Less noticeable than the mountains, but important nevertheless, are the tablelands of the Southwest. These mesas, too high to be typical of the desert, and in most cases too low to be considered as mountains, partake of the characteristics of both. Desert “Islands”The mountains of the Southwest have been compared to islands rising above the surface of a sea of desert. This is an apt comparison for not only do they differ materially from the hot, low desert in climate, but also in flora and fauna. Few species of either plants or animals living at these higher altitudes could survive conditions on the desert floor with any more success than land animals could take to the open sea. Their death from heat and aridity would only be more prolonged than that by drowning. Thus certain species isolated on mountain peaks are often as restricted in range as though they actually were surrounded by water. At times this results in such striking adaptation to local conditions that some common species become hardly recognizable. This is the exception to the rule however; most of the animals in this book are either of the same species as those in the Northern States or so closely allied that to the casual observer they will seem the same. Conditions that enable these species ordinarily associated with the snowy plains of the Midwest and the conifer forests of the North to live in the hot Southwest are brought about either directly or indirectly by altitude. Life ZonesThere are in this nucleus of four States a total of six life zones, (See map on page x.) The two lowest, the Lower and Upper Sonoran Life Zones, range from sea level to a maximum elevation of about 7000 feet. These two have been covered in the book “Mammals of the Southwest Deserts.” The remaining four—Transition, Canadian, Hudsonian, and Alpine Life Zones—will furnish the material for this book. The names of these zones are self explanatory, because they are descriptive of those regions whose climates they approximate. Unlike the two life zones of the desert, which merge almost imperceptibly together, these upper zones are more sharply defined. They may often be identified at a great distance by their distinctive plant growth. It should be noted that plant species are even more susceptible to environmental factors than animals and are restricted to well defined areas within the extremes of temperature and moisture best suited to their individual needs. Thus each life zone has its typical plant species, and since animals in turn are dependent on certain plants for food or cover, one can often predict many of the species to be found in an individual area. The Transition Life Zone in the Southwest usually lies at an altitude of between 7000 and 8000 feet. It encompasses the change from low trees and shrubs of the open desert to dense forest of the higher elevations. It is characterized by open forests of ponderosa pine usually intermingled with scattered thickets of Gambel oak. These trees are of a brighter green than the desert growth but do not compare with the deeper color of the firs that grow at a higher elevation. The Canadian Life Zone begins at an altitude of about 8000 feet and extends to approximately 9500 feet. The Douglas-fir must be considered the outstanding species in this zone although the brilliant The Hudsonian Life Zone is marked by a noticeable decrease in numbers of plant species. At this altitude, (9500 to 11,500 feet), the winters are severe and summers of short duration. This is the zone of white fir which grows tall and slim so to better shed its seasonal burden of snow and sleet. In the more sheltered places spruce finds a habitat suited to its needs. Near the upper edge of the Hudsonian Life Zone the trees become stunted and misshapen and finally disappear entirely. This is timberline; the beginning of the Alpine Life Zone, or as it often called, the Arctic-Alpine Life Zone. Here is a world of barren rock and biting cold. At 12,000 feet and above the eternal snows lie deep on the peaks. Yet, even though at first glance there seems to be little evidence of life of any kind, a close scrutiny will reveal low mat-like plants growing among the exposed rocks and tiny paths leading to burrows in the rock slides. Among the larger mammals there are few other than the mountain sheep that can endure the rigors of this inhospitable region. These are the zones of the Southwest uplands. Altitudes given are approximate and apply to such mountain ranges as the San Francisco Peaks of Arizona and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in New Mexico. As one travels farther north the zones descend ever lower until in the Far North the Arctic-Alpine Life Zone is found at sea level. Since climate more than any other factor, determines the types of plants and animals that can live in a given area it is only natural that on these mountain islands many species entirely foreign to the surrounding deserts are found at home. Though it would seem that because of the relative abundance of water at higher elevations the upland species would have the better environment, this is not entirely true. Balanced against this advantage are the severe winters which, in addition to freezing temperatures, usher in a period of deep snows and famine. Even though many species show a high degree of adaptation to these conditions, an especially long or cold winter season will result in the death of weaker individuals. Man and WildernessThe effects of man’s presence on the upland species is perhaps not as serious as on those of the desert. Though he has been instrumental in upsetting the balance of nature everywhere, it has been chiefly through agriculture and grazing. Because of the rough broken character of much high country in the Southwest the first is impossible in many cases and the second only partially successful. There are other factors however which menace the future of the upland species. Among As our wilderness areas shrink it seems that our people are gradually becoming more interested, not only in the welfare of our native species but in their ways as well. This type of curiosity augurs well for the future of our remaining wild creatures. In times past an interest in mammals was limited mainly to sportsmen who often knew a great deal about where to find game animals and how to pursue them. Their interest usually ended with the shot that brought the quarry down. Today many people have discovered that a study of the habits of any animal in its native habitat is a fascinating out-of-doors hobby in a virtually untouched field. With patience and attention to details the layman will occasionally discover facts about the daily life of some common species that have escaped the attention of our foremost naturalists. This is no criticism of the scientific approach. It is recommended that for his own benefit the nature enthusiast learn a few of the fundamentals of zoology, particularly of classification and taxonomy, which mean the grouping and naming of species. Classification of AnimalsClassification of animals is easy to understand. Briefly, they are divided into large groups called orders. These are further divided into genera, and the genera in turn contain one or more species. Scientific names of animals are always given in Latin. Written in this universal language they are intelligible to all scientists, regardless of nationality. It is a mistake to shy away from them because they are cumbersome and unfamiliar to the eye. They usually reveal some important characteristic of the animal they stand for. This is their true function; it seems to this writer that it is a mistake to name an animal after a geographical location or a person, although it is frequently done. The literal translations of specific names in this book will illustrate this point. See how much more interesting and how much more easily remembered those names are which describe habits or physical attributes of the creature. Described herein are but a part of the species native to the Southwestern uplands. Those chosen were selected because they are either common, rare, or unusually interesting. Collectively they make up a representative cross section of the mammals that live above the deserts of the Southwest. For further information on these and other mammals of the region see the list of references on page 123. |
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