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The Chihuahuan Desert (Spanish: Desierto de Chihuahua, Desierto Chihuahuense) is a desert ecoregion designation covering parts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It occupies much of far West Texas , the middle to lower Rio Grande Valley and the lower Pecos Valley in New Mexico , and a portion of southeastern Arizona , as ...
The Bolson tortoise (Gopherus flavomarginatus), also called the Mexican giant tortoise, Mexican gopher tortoise, yellow-bordered tortoise or yellow-margined tortoise, is a species of tortoise from North America. Of the six North American tortoise species, it is the largest, having a carapace length of about 46 cm (18 in).
The park has national significance as the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the United States, [3] and was named after a large bend in the Rio Grande/Río Bravo. [4] The park protects more than 1,200 species of plants, more than 450 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles, and 75 species of mammals. [5]
Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge. The Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area of New Mexico managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It is located in the Chihuahuan Desert, 20 miles north of Socorro, New Mexico. The Rio Salado and the Rio Grande flow through the refuge.
The San Andres National Wildlife Refuge preserves the largest intact Chihuahuan desert mountain range in the U.S. The refuge runs 21 miles north to south at the southern end of the San Andres Mountains. San Andres Peak is the highest point at 8,239 feet (2,511 m). Bennett and Big Brushy Mountains rise to more than 7,000 feet (2,100 m).
Biology. In addition to hosting rare bird species, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is also home to the southernmost known population of the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse along the Rio Grande river. This mouse is a distinctive, genetically unique subspecies found in certain regions of New Mexico, Arizona, and southern Colorado.
Description. C. lepidus. This small species rarely exceeds 32 in (81.3 cm) in length. It has a large, rounded head, and fairly heavy body for its size, with eyes with vertical pupils. Like other rattlesnakes, its tail has a rattle, which is composed of keratin. Each time the snake sheds its skin, a new segment is added to the rattle.
A study of Autonomous University of Chihuahua conducted in 1994 also argues that the region should be protected because it has a considerable amount of endangered species (13 species of flora and 66 of fauna) and a large geological, hydrological and historical heritage, and a striking contrast between the ecosystems of desert and forest. [10]