Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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This is the time of year when Arizona's trails and backroads can seem more like busy city streets. While the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) supports all forms of safe, responsible outdoor recreation, those who operate a variety of motorized vehicles are being urged to pump the brakes and give a much slower "traveler" the right of way. A protected species, desert tortoises are traversing the same trails and backroads - but, in typical desert tortoise fashion, they do it in low gear.... Full story
AZGFD: Leave Baby Wildlife Alone With the arrival of warmer spring weather, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) once again is advising the public to leave baby wildlife alone. While it might be difficult to resist the urge to help seemingly abandoned animals, including newly hatched birds and baby rabbits, a parent is likely nearby and will return once humans have left the area. Sadly, once young animals have been removed from the wild, some species -like elk calves and deer fawns -...
AZGFD offers essential tips for avoiding conflicts. With Arizona's hottest months right around the corner, how black bears forage for typical food sources will become more challenging. As a result, the chances of them wandering into populated areas in search of an easier meal will be on the rise. While bears are typically shy and tend to avoid humans, their excellent sense of smell can be problematic for both the animals and humans. Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) officials advise... Full story
Desert bighorn sheep are stunning - but what about Arizona's other bighorns? Eastern and central Arizona are home to Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, the stocky cousins of the desert dwellers. AZGFD sought to reestablish the subspecies in 1979 and transplanted eight Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep from Colorado to the upper Blue River area of eastern Arizona. Over the last 45 years, with the help of additional translocations, the population and the animals' distribution have expanded to include... Full story
We published the below in April of 2020 https://www.azbw.com/vfw-cat-rescue/ Number Nine – Bella Boo is looking for a home. April 15, 2020 – She found her forever home today. Not the one we had hoped for her. Life is hard on the streets. Attack, accident, fight or automobile? We don't know. Her doctor said her injuries were too extensive and the chance of recovery was not good. Bella was a special kitty. This picture was taken shortly after her surgery. The real Bella is a very vibrant and lov... Full story
Joint announcement from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish The wild population of Mexican wolves saw another year of growth in 2023, according to the results of the annual survey. The 2023 population census revealed a minimum of 257 Mexican wolves distributed across Arizona and New Mexico. This increase marks the eighth consecutive year of population growth, the longest continuous streak since recovery efforts began. Six... Full story
Big Tony is a success story. We have had a number of these stories since we began the VFW 3513 Alley Cat Rescue several years ago. Unfortunately, these success stories don't make it any easier to remember the kitties who were not so lucky. This has definitely been a learning process. Starting out I was naive and hopeful of making all of their lives easier and better. Reality soon took over. It is a monumental task. And, the odds against saving them all is unrealistic. Still we persist and take... Full story
The wildlife center has the tortoise adoption program, animal ambassadors and is sometimes the first stop for sick and injured wildlife. Desert Tortoise Adoption Program Adoption facilities in Phoenix and Tucson. Questions about adopting a tortoise, call 844 896-5730 or email for information to TAP@azgfd.gov. What You Need To Know To Adopt A Tortoise Each year the Arizona Game and Fish Department adopts out hundreds of captive desert tortoises that are surrendered to the department. These... Full story
Poaching Poachers are thieves who steal Arizona’s most precious natural resource – wildlife! Poaching interferes with the ability to effectively manage wildlife and wildlife habitat. It negatively impacts the ability to enjoy the outdoors, and reduces opportunities to hunt and fish in Arizona. Cellular phone calls to the OGT hotline have proven to be extremely beneficial. An officer’s chances of apprehending the violator while he is still in the woods are greatly enhanced when the offense is re... Full story
From in-person events all across the state of Arizona to educational programs you can experience from the comfort of your own home, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has a wildlife viewing event you are sure to enjoy. Learn more about each of these incredible programs and how you can attend. Bat Netting Arizona is home to 28 species of bats, and many live and forage in our own backyards. Here's your chance to see these fascinating creatures up close. https://www.azgfd.com/... Full story
Your Vote Counts! Make Fearless Kitty Rescue Non-Profit of the Year Dear Friends of Fearless Kitty Rescue, We have exciting news to share! We are so proud and honored to have been chosen by the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce as a nominee for their Nonprofit of the Year award! Out of all the amazing non-profits in our community, Fearless Kitty Rescue was chosen as one of the four finalists! This recognition is a testament to the incredible work of our volunteers, staff, foster families, and... Full story
Arizona's bald eagles are back, and they are now preparing for the next generation of eagles at breeding sites statewide. To assist with the state's continued bald eagle population growth, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) encourages outdoor recreationists, aircraft pilots, drone operators and motorized paragliders to do their part by not disturbing the state's 97 eagle breeding areas. To protect breeding attempts, some portions of public land and water areas will be temporarily... Full story
The data management system AZGFD uses to track the locations of wildlife, including javelinas, is getting a major overhaul. Kudos to StateScoop and reporter Keely Quinlan for a recent news story about how the Arizona Game and Fish Department is consolidating all of its wildlife tracking data into a new, cloud-based management system known as the wildlife data warehouse. With the data available in one place, Arizona's wildlife researchers can help conservationists, policymakers and land... Full story
The endangered Yuma clapper rail inhabits the Yuma Wetlands Wildlife Area. Walk On The Wild Side:Yuma Wetlands Wildlife Area Located in western Arizona, the Yuma Wetlands Wildlife Area offers outdoor recreational opportunities such as wildlife viewing, angling and hiking. There is a 2.5-mile walking trail that takes visitors through areas of restored cottonwood, willow and mesquite habitat along the Colorado River and restored back channel. Common mammals in the wildlife area include beavers,... Full story
Arizona Game and Fish Department wildlife officers have been actively searching for a coyote or coyotes that have bitten three people since Saturday in the area just east of Interstate 17 and Happy Valley Road in Phoenix. On Saturday, Dec.9 a 4-year-old child was bitten on the lower leg while walking with family members. Also on that Saturday, a man who was jogging in the same area was bitten by a coyote. On Monday, Dec. 11 , a man was bitten on the heel by a coyote south of Happy Valley Road ne... Full story
The annual interagency survey of the endangered Mount Graham red squirrel showed a decrease in the latest population estimate in the Pinaleño Mountains of southeastern Arizona. The annual survey, conducted jointly by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), Coronado National Forest, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, resulted in an estimate of 144 squirrels. This is an increase from the 109 squirrels estimated in 2021, but lower than the 156 squirrels estimated after a new survey... Full story
Award of $24 million comes from Federal Highway Administration. PHOENIX - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has awarded Arizona a $24 million grant for a wildlife overpass and other improvements designed to reduce crashes involving wildlife and better connect habitats across Interstate 17 south of Flagstaff in northern Arizona. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), sought the grant through FHWA's Wildlife... Full story
VFW 3513 Alley Cats Project - The 'VFW Alley Cat Project' Has Brought Kitties, Vets, And Community Together In Scottsdale,Ariz., just south of Thomas Road, there resides a community of cats tucked away in the back parking lot and alleyway of the VFW Post 3513. These cats live and lounge on three different three-and four-tiered cat houses brought in by caring members of the community. But when spooked, they disappear into their hiding places. It was just two years ago when VFW Post Auxiliary... Full story
Conservation First USA launched its 2024 raffle where seven lucky individuals will win one of seven special big-game tags (bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, bison and turkey) for the 2024–25 hunting season. Buy Tickets Today! The real winner is Arizona's wildlife. Every dollar raised for each species through the raffle is returned to the Arizona Game and Fish Department and managed by the Arizona Habitat Partnership Committee. With input from local habitat partners a... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has announced the winners of the 2023 wildlife photo contest. The 12 winning photographs are included in the full-size 2024 wildlife calendar that is published in the November-December 2023 issue of Arizona Wildlife Views magazine. AZGFD currently has a subscription special for Arizona Wildlife Views. A one-year subscription to the bi-monthly magazine ordered by Dec. 31, 2023, will include the wildlife calendar and a bonus issue (seven issues total)... Full story
Arizona's deer and elk populations remain CWD-free due to surveillance efforts. The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is asking hunters to continue doing their part to help keep Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) at bay. CWD is a fatal wildlife disease that affects the nervous system of deer and elk. All successful deer and elk hunters are encouraged to bring the head of their harvested animal - especially bucks and bulls - to any department office statewide between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday... Full story
Wildlife management relies on valuable data. The Arizona Game and Fish Department is encouraging hunters who harvest a big game animal affixed with a GPS or VHF tracking collar to return that collar undamaged to any department office statewide. While harvesting a collared animal is legal, Game and Fish asks hunters to refrain from cutting, damaging or otherwise destroying any portion of a collar. A collar easily can be removed from a harvested animal's neck by loosening two nuts on the black... Full story
Feeding of wildlife suspected of contributing to the attack. A woman died eight days after being hospitalized as the result of an apparent elk attack on her property in the Pine Lake community in the Hualapai Mountains, about 15 miles southeast of Kingman. The attack occurred on a late October afternoon while the woman’s husband was in Kingman. According to the husband, when he returned, he found his wife on the ground in the backyard with injuries consistent with being trampled by an elk. He al... Full story
A binational captive breeding program was initiated to save the Mexican wolf from extinction. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the reintroduction of Mexican wolves to the wild in the U.S. Once occurring throughout parts of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, the Mexican wolf had all but disappeared by 1970. In 1976, this gray wolf subspecies was listed as endangered, and a binational captive breeding program was initiated to save it from extinction. In 1998, the U.S Fish and Wildlife... Full story
Live-streaming camera offers unique viewing experience. Sandhill cranes by the thousands are once again returning to their wintering grounds at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area near McNeal, Ariz., in southeastern Arizona. Live-Streaming Cameras For the next few months, viewers can observe almost 20,000 of these fascinating birds on a live-streaming camera installed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD). The live stream can be viewed at www.azgfd.gov/sandhillcranes. "The sandhill... Full story
