Frontera NorteSur  November  2002

As we rounded the bend in the road, I saw a tawny-colored flash out of the corner of my eye.  My companion exclaimed, “Mountain lion!”  The animal was magnificent, running full speed across the valley in front of us.  Within just seconds, the lion had run the full stretch of the valley and had disappeared over the ridge to our left.  We ran to the top of the ridge hoping to catch one more glimpse, but our human legs were too slow, and the animal was gone.  Never had I seen an animal move so fast, with such power.  The encounter left us all breathless.

We were in the Peloncillos conducting road surveys, when we caught sight of the lion.  Although we had hoped to see some birds and other small mammals that weekend, none of us expected to see a large cat--the Peloncillo mountain range can surprise you sometimes.

Straddling the Arizona-New Mexico-Mexico border region, the Peloncillos are relatively dry and low-lying in the United States, compared to other sky islands in our region.  In Mexico, the range broadens and rises, becoming wetter and larger.  The Peloncillos are the only range in the Sky Islands that form a continuous connection from the Sierra Madre in Mexico to the Mogollon Rim of central Arizona, providing a meshing of diverse habitats from sub-tropical to temperate and an important corridor for wildlife in the region.

The diversity of wildlife present in the Peloncillos is almost overwhelming.  More than 325 different bird species have been documented in the range.  The Peloncillos also boast an area containing the highest diversity of lizard species in the United States.  That area has been recognized by the Bureau of Land Management as an area of critical environmental concern and is managed to protect the species present there.  The range also provides habitat for bighorn sheep, mountain lions, coatimundis, and black bear, among others.  Just a few years ago, a jaguar was sighted in the range.  Historically, the Peloncillos provided habitat for wolves, and someday we may see the return of the wolf to the area, as the range connects with current reintroduction sites in rim country to the north.

The Peloncillos have been traversed since time immemorial, not just by wildlife, but also by human travelers of all kinds.  Ancient rock art in the area provides archaeological evidence of human activity many centuries ago.  The Spanish conquistadors also blazed trails through the range.  Skeleton Canyon, a small canyon on the west side of the range, was used by smugglers and Apaches alike and was the site of Geronimo's final surrender in 1886.  The Mormon Battalion traveled through these mountains and, according to historical accounts, ran into some trouble with a herd of feral cattle along the way.  

For some time now, private landowners, Congress, and federal agencies have recognized that the Peloncillos are deserving of special protection.  Private landowners are engaging in efforts to conserve their land, while federal agencies have designated areas of critical environmental concern, a research natural area, and a zoological-botanical area--all of which are managed to protect their unique values.  Also, Congress has designated a Wilderness area, anchoring the northern part of the range, and several Wilderness study areas.

Despite the various efforts to preserve them, the Peloncillos are still in need of help.  I-10 creates a barrier to wildlife movement between the northern and southern portions of the mountains, and other roads fragment habitat throughout the range.  Poor livestock practices in some areas; fire suppression; degradation of riparian areas; and clearing of land for recreation, resource extraction and development have left the Peloncillos in less than ideal condition.   

The Peloncillo Mountains deserve recognition and protection as a globally unique wildlife corridor.  The Sky Island Alliance and other conservation organizations are focusing their efforts on the preservation of the region.  We have done road surveys, and we have also restored habitat by closing some roads.  We hope that, through our efforts and those of other entities, the Peloncillos will continue to serve as a haven for wildlife species, and as a crucial biological link between the Sierra Madre and the Rocky Mountains.  It is also a wonderful place to find solitude from our hectic modern lives, and observe some remarkable animals and birds.  Please join us on one of our field weekends, or visit the area on your own, sometime soon.