The Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition has been an important education partner at the Zoo since 2004 when the group was formed at a meeting of conservation leaders from across El Paso. In response to the group’s efforts to promote biosphere reserves and transboundary conservation that we reported on here earlier, board member Kendra Jones has provided …
Can we realize Roosevelt’s dream for a transboundary conservation area by developing a plan for a sustainable future?
This is a picture Santa Elena Canyon and the Rio Grande with the Santa Elena Canyon Protected Area, Chihuahua, Mexico on the left and Big Bend National Park in Texas on the right. By Rick LoBello, Board Member Background Big Bend National Park was first officially proposed on February 16, 1935 when Texas Senator Morris …
Only in the Chihuahuan Desert: the reticulated gecko
Reticulated gecko By Rick LoBello, Board Member Every year I find one or more geckos under things in my yard or climbing on a wall. For most of us in El Paso if we find a gecko we are more than likely seeing a Mediterranean gecko, an exotic species in the U.S. first reported in …
Continue reading "Only in the Chihuahuan Desert: the reticulated gecko"
Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife: Western Screech Owl
By Jacob Croft Western Screech Owl Megascops Kennicotti Status: Least Concerned Size: 7.5-9.8 inches Habitat: Woodlands The Western Screech Owl, looking much like the Eastern Screech Owl, is found in the western US and Mexico. They live here in El Paso, but are not commonly seen. Watch for them in the evenings or early mornings. They are nocturnal …
Continue reading "Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife: Western Screech Owl"
Free tailing it up to Carlsbad
Natural entrance to Carlsbad Caverns, home to a maternity colony of Mexican free-tailed bats. By Rick LoBello, Board Member Prior to moving to El Paso my friends used to call me Batman because of my job at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. From 1992 to 2000 I lived in government housing a stone’s throw away from …
Sky Island Fireflies
By Stephen Hummel, Board Member Fireflies are not an insect species commonly associated with the desert. They are typically found in humid, dark, wooded environments typically found in the eastern half of the United States and elsewhere. Relatively few fireflies can be found in the dry conditions of the western United States. One exception is …
Meet your neighbors: who cooks for who?
By Rick LoBello, Board Member Spring is in the air and here in El Paso one of our most vocal resident birds is busy preparing for the breeding season. If you don’t see them when you wake up in the morning you can certainly hear them and this beautiful bird has a very distinctive song. …
Coyotes are El Paso’s most common apex predator
The coyote is the largest and most common apex predator in El Paso. Well known across North America from Canada to Central America, if you haven’t seen one yet don’t be surprised when you do. Their numbers in our city appear to be increasing as they move into neighborhoods looking for what we all want …
Continue reading "Coyotes are El Paso’s most common apex predator"
Meet your neighbors: Rock Squirrels
By Rick LoBello, Board Member Like in many cities, different species of wildlife have adapted to living in El Paso. Birds and squirrels are probably the most obvious. Did you know that the most commonly seen squirrel in El Paso is the rock squirrel? Other squirrel species include antelope ground squirrels and spotted ground squirrels. …
The long-tailed weasel: El Paso’s rarely seen fearless predator of the night
By Rick LoBello, Board Member The long-tailed weasel is one of the rarest predators living here in the Chihuahuan Desert. As a result of their nocturnal lifestyle very few people have ever seen one, but they are out there hunting for rodents and other small prey including shrews, ground squirrels, pocket gophers, woodrats, cotton rats, …
Continue reading "The long-tailed weasel: El Paso’s rarely seen fearless predator of the night"
Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition 