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--Ecology and Management of Wildlife and Their Habitats |
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Ecology and Management of Wildlife and Their HabitatsThe Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands is blessed with a wide variety of wildlife species including a host of large mammals, gamebirds, large and medium-sized carnivores, birds of prey, songbirds, small mammals, and reptiles.
Other areas of focus for our wildlife research program include gamebird management, carnivore ecology, and non-consumptive uses of wildlife. Scaled and Gambel’s quail, white-winged and mourning dove, as well as other gamebirds occur in abundance throughout out much of the Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands. One of the least studied aspect of desert systems in the variety of carnivores that occur there. Black bear, mountain lion, bobcat, coyote, ringtail, coati, and a wealth of smaller carnivores occur through out the Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands. Additionally, the Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands boasts a wealth of avifauna including such prized birds as Montezuma quail, Aplomado falcons, and 7 species of hummingbirds. |
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One of our central focus areas is our large mammal research program. The Chihuahuan Desert Borderlands has more variety in large mammals than anywhere else in the United States, including desert mule deer, desert bighorn sheep, pronghorn, del Carmen white-tailed deer, and elk. Despite this variety of large game and their economic importance, there is relatively little information available regarding antler development, forage quality, movements, or habitat management strategies for large mammals in the region. Research on these large mammals of the region will continue to be a priority for Institute researchers.