Sonoyta mud turtle (Kinosternon sonoriense longifemorale) wins endangered species status
It may not be surprising that an �aquatic desert� turtle faces long odds in life, but environmentalists and biologists still welcomed this week�s endangered species designation for the Sonoyta mud turtle.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the designation Wednesday, citing threats from climate change to loss of habitat for the southern Arizona animal, whose numbers are believed to have dwindled to as low as 100 turtles.
�The Sonoyta mud turtle is clearly in danger of extinction,� Steve Spangle, a field supervisor with Fish and Wildlife�s Arizona Ecological Services, said in a release announcing the listing.
�Protecting it under the Endangered Species Act will marshal increased attention and the resources needed by our U.S. and Mexican conservation partners to improve and expand its dwindling habitat and populations,� Spangle said.
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Did You Know…
Xero-riparian: Is an environment located in the Southwest of Arizona, where water runoff collects in areas with proper soil that allows for vegetation to grow and numerous species to survive. Velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina) is the most common scrub, along with thorn-scrub; ironwood (Olneya tesota), blue paloverde (Parkinsonia florida), and chino (Havardia mexicana).
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Photo from George Andrejko/Arizona Game and Fish Dept.
