Wildlife in South Mountain Park? (Young: house, construction, law)

[thedreamteam]

we've recently purchased a new build backing onto the south mountain preserve. construction hasn't been completed yet so we have yet to move down there. question i have is what kind of wild life can i expect to find in the area?

thanks in advance.

[Design7]

http://abqstyle.com/linked/lizard.jpg (broken link)

South Mountain is actually a pretty special preserve with a good variety of wildlife. I have personally spotted javalina's, coyotes, all sorts of lizards, hawks, on casual hikes into South Mountain. It is also home to rattlesnakes (I've yet to see one).

If you like to hike, mountain bike, or road bike, South Mountain is a real treat. The lizard photo above was shot in South Mountain as I walked near the Park Ranger's office.

AbqStyle Arizona & New Mexico Photography Blog

[CheckM8]

If you really want to know, stop by the South Mountain Environmental Education Center located inside the park. They are open on Fridays and Saturdays from 9am to 3pm. They have information on all of the creatures along with the history of the park and other interesting stuff.

[cap1717]

checkM8 is correct, the E.C. will have all of the resources you need to understand the ecology of your new area.

So that you are not "shocked", as my brother in law was, when I first moved to AZ, be prepared to see coyotes (my BIL thought it was a wolf!), Javalina (careful here, DO NOT FEED! They can be aggressive) several kinds of fox, if you are very lucky, they tend to be more nocturnal, Hawks, Owls all of the native birds and a variety of snakes, along with lots of lizards, spiders and other small creatures. Skunks and Racoons are also present (do not leave dog / cat food out) but are rarely seen as they are also nocturnal. Scorpians can be a problem near new development. . . you have moved into their space. . . make sure your house is well secured against access points for these, and use a black light to determine # and location of such in inhabited yard areas. . . they do provide a valuable service and should not be eliminated in areas where there presence poses no danger to the very young. Note, rattlesnakes of various kinds are fairly common. Mature snakes use their venom to secure prey. . . are unlikely to bite people unless they are harrassed. Young rattlesnakes, however, can be a bit more "dangerous" as they have less experience and are more easily frightened. Again, use caution, but not fear. . . I have had many many encounters with rattlesnakes here, and have never felt threatened. . . in fact, the "rattle" is used as a warning to get away. . . good advice!