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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
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San
Bernardino and Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuges |
Bill
Radke, Refuge Manager |
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[Welcome] [Habitat] [Wildlife] [Bird List] [Volunteering] [Arizona Links]
The San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge is located on the U.S.-Mexican border in Cochise County, Arizona, 17 miles east of Douglas. Situated at 3,720 to 3,920 feet elevation in the bottom of a wide valley, the Refuge encompasses a portion of the headquarters of the Yaqui River, which drains primarily western Chihuahua and eastern Sonora, Mexico. The area included in the San Bernardino NWR has a colorful and varied history mostly due to its water resources. During the 1700s, Jesuit priests were in the area for missionary purposes. The 1822 San Bernardino Land Grant (which included the present-day Refuge), resulted in large-scale cattle grazing for 10 years, until the ranchers were driven out by the Apaches. Cattle ranching returned and farming began when John Slaughter purchased the land in 1887 and both practices continued until 1979. between 1914 and 1919, cavalry encampments were present to protect settlers during raids by Pancho Villa. These all left their mark on the landscape of the San Bernardino area. The 2,309-acre ranch was acquired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1982 to protect the water resources and provide habitat for endangered native fishes. The 2770-acre Leslie Canyon area was established in 1988 to protect habitat for the endangered Yaqui chub (Gila purpurea) and Yaqui topminnow (Poeciliopsis occidentalis sonorensis). The Refuge also protects a rare velvet ash-cottonwood-black willow gallery forest. Leslie Canyon NWR is located 16 miles north of Douglas, Arizona, in Cochise County at the southern end of the Swisshelm mountains. |
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Topography of the San Bernardino Refuge varies from flat to rolling in the eastern and western uplands, and drops abruptly to flat bottom lands that bisect the Refuge from north to south. Dominant plant communities of uplands are Chihuahuan desert scrub and desert grassland, while bottomlands are primarily mesquite bosque and fallow fields. These arid habitats contrast well with artesian wells and seeps that create small areas of riparian forest and woodland, riparian scrub, marshlands, and aquatic habitats. |
Topography of the Leslie Canyon refuge is rough moutainous terrain dominated by shrubs and desert grasses such as sideoats grama, sandpaper bush, ocotillo and beargrass. Running through the middle of the Refuge is Leslie Creek with its valuable riparian habitat and gallery forest. |
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WildlifeBirdsOver 270 species of birds can be seen at San Bernardino NWR, including great blue heron, green-backed heron, Virginia rail, ringneck duck, Mexican duck, sandhill crane, magnificent hummingbird, Costa's hummingbird, yellow warbler, blue grosbeak, phainopeplas, white-crowned sparrows, and Gila woodpeckers. Raptors include gray hawk, zone-tailed hawk, golden eagle, Swainson's hawk, kestrel, sharp-shinned hawk, and peregrine falcon. See Tips for Watching Wildlife for suggestions to make your visit more enjoyable. Mammals San Bernardino and Leslie Canyon NWRs support many mammals, including mule deer, whitetail deer, javelina, mountain lion, raccoon, coyote, bobcat, gray fox, antelope ground squirrel, badger, jackrabbit, cottontail rabbit, kangaroo rat, and coatimundi. Reptiles and Amphibians Reptiles observed on the Refuge include Sonoroan whipsnake, western diamondback rattlesnake, black-tailed rattlesnake, Chiricahua leopard frog, Gila monster, Madrean alligator lizard, checkered and Mexican garter snakes, horned toad, desert kingsnake, and ringneck snake. FishSan Bernardino NWR historically supported about one-quarter of the fish species native to Arizona. These include several endangered and threatened species such as the Yaqui chub, Yaqui topminnow , Yaqui beautiful shiner and Yaqui catfish. The other species native to the San Bernardino include Mexican stoneroller, longfin dace, roudtail chub and Yaqui sucker. |
Recreational OpportunitiesThe San Bernardino NWR is open to birdwatching, photography and hiking, as well as dove, quail and cottontail rabbit hunting in season. Leslie Canyon NWR is closed to hunting and both refuges are closed to fishing. |
Volunteering
at the Refuge All types of volunteers needed, particularly asking for assistance with greenhouse construction; installation of irrigation system; native plant collection, propagation, and planting; photography, plant identification; and other construction. (Year round) Contact San Bernardino NWR or call 520/364-2104 for more information about volunteer opportunities. |
See Arizona Links for more information about natural areas and tourism in Arizona.