This species is possibly the least know of all the box turtles. It is endemic to northwest Mexico. Read more about it in this 2011 paper Terrapene nelsoni Stejneger 1925 – Spotted Box Turtle, Tortuga de Chispitas, Tortuga de Monte.
Terrapene nelsoni seems to only be active in Sonora during the wetest part of the monsoon season, primarily the later part of July through early Sept. See more photo of these species in this Terrapene nelsoni gallery.
Here's an article in Terra Magazine (put out by ConserVentures) literally about Wild Sonora. Read about adventures on the rivers of eastern Sonora and see plenty of photos of the most recent trip.
"Our adventures into the river canyons of eastern Sonora began in the early 2000s after spending several years working throughout the bronco (rough) state of Sonora, México. My best friend was an avian biologist working in Sonora, and I had always been intrigued by birds, natural history…
From the Liberty Cove website:
"The approvals included 60,000 dwelling units including single family homes, ranches, condominiums and multi-unit complexes. In addition, the overall Master Plan includes resort hotels, retail/commercial centers, golf courses, Formula One style race track, marinas and a San Antonio-styled Riverwalk.The Phase I Development Plan commences with 1000 condominiums, an 18 hole golf course, a Beach Club, a pier, a 50,000 square foot medical…
According to Google the number or searches for the terms "Conservation" and "Environment" have been in a steady decline since 2004.
Does this mean people care less about these issue now than in 2004? Sadly this seems like it is probably the case. See this graph from Google below - blue=conservation, red=environment (see graph at Google here)
February 2nd and 3rd 2011 laid a heavy hand on the NJP reserve. An arctic air mass descended on southwestern North America, stretching its influence south of its typical reach. Individual species had their numbers reduced drastically. The makeup and distribution of some plant communities were altered. Rules that had governed species survival for a minimum of several decades were put on hiatus during a more than 48-hour period of early Feb. 2011.
Woody species hit the hardest on the…
The same ocelot that has been photographed on 3 previous occasions in the Huachuca Mountains has been seen again. This ocelot has a somewhat unique looking face and was first photographed in Feb. 2011. Face and spot pattern match all 3 other sets of photographs. The cat appears quite healthy.
Hunters treed the ocelot, reported and gave photos to AZ Game and Fish who put out this press release Nov. 20th, 2012.
See previous Wild Sonora stories about this ocelot here and here.
A hunter's trail camera snapped a photo of a jaguars tail on Sept. 23, 2012. AZ Game and Fish released the photo, but have yet to make a determination on whether it is an ocelot or jaguar. It appears almost certainly to be that of a jaguar. Sky Island Alliance experts are also convinced. See AZ Daily Star article here.
We just returned from Rancho Pan Duro on the spine of the Sierra Madre. It is located south of Los Ojos, 50 miles or so southeast of Agua Prieta/Douglas. Mexico doesn't have fire suppression infrastructure in place as does the US. Also the forests are more heavily used so consequently there is not so much fuel loading. Nevertheless, monsoons bring thunderstorms and lightning; and much fire. Ruben's vaqueros went to the rancho, and with the air heavy with smoke they scraped a fireline to…
The Sonoran state government is building a controversial pipeline (Independencia pipeline) that will connect the state's largest reservoir (Presa Novillo) on the Rio Yaqui with the state's capital city of Hermosillo. Construction is well underway with the first water to be expected around the end of 2012. Projected cost of the project is $323.3 million U.S. dollars, but completion date and cost estimates may not hold.
The heavy steel pipe used for the pipeline appears to be…
by Michael Huckaby
COWBOY COUNTRYSahuaripa sits nestled against the foothills of the western flank of the Sierra Madre Occidental. It is at the north end of the valley of Tacupeto on the north flowing Rio Sahuaripa just before it enters the Rio Yaqui. This is cattle country. Some agriculture exist where farmers have taken advantage of the rivers leaving the sierras, but mostly it's…
A hunters trail camera has captured another image of an ocelot. Although the location hasn't been revealed to AZ Game and Fish by the hunter, spot comparison by Wild Sonora shows that it is the same individual that has been photographed in the Huachucas twice before in Feb. and May of 2011.
See the AZ Game and Fish Dept. article about this ocelot sighting.
All but 1 of the 5 Mexican Gray Wolves released in Sonora in October of 2011 have been poisoned to death by warfarin, which is commonly used by ranchers and others to kill mammals. The wolves were found dead in Nov. and Dec. of 2011. Although uncertain, there is a good likelyhood that this is a targeted killing of the wolves. It takes high levels of warfarin to kill large mammals.
One of the wolves is alive and doing well. Mexican officials have said they will continue with the…
