Daily Archives: October 2, 2019

Bald eagle breeding areas expand, number of nestlings dips in 2019

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PHOENIX — A record number of bald eagle breeding areas couldn’t guarantee another shattered record of eagle nestlings, which dipped to 71 during the 2019 breeding season from 87 hatched in 2018.

A juvenile bald eagle flies away after being released at Horeshoe Lake in June 2019.

During the Arizona Game and Fish Department annual bald eagle survey this summer, raptor biologists counted a minimum of 74 occupied breeding areas statewide, which was up from the 69 counted last year. Despite that, the number of eggs laid this year dipped slightly to 97 from the 102 counted last year. 
Additionally, the number of birds that made the important milestone of their first flight, known as fledging, dipped to 63 from the 70 recorded in 2018. 

“While we always hope for Arizona’s bald eagle population to increase, it’s not uncommon for productivity to slow occasionally,” said Kenneth Jacobson, AZGFD bald eagle management coordinator. “Similar comparatively lower productivity rates were seen in 2014 and 2010, so we were due for a slow year. Overall, our eagle population continues to be strong because we continue to see an increase in breeding areas statewide. Our ongoing efforts to help conserve and protect Arizona’s bald eagles appear to be working.” 

Arizona’s bald eagle population has flourished since 1978, when 11 pairs were counted within the state and the species was listed as endangered. Today there are an estimated 74 adult breeding pairs. 

Bald eagles nationwide were removed as a protected species under the federal Endangered Species Act in 2007, but protections under the act were reinstated in 2008 in Arizona and remained until 2011. The department’s conservation efforts contributed to the species recovery.

Nationally, the birds remain protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.  The impressive recovery of the population is attributed to the continued efforts of the Southwestern Bald Eagle Management Committee – a coalition of AZGFD and 27 other government agencies, private organizations and Native American tribes – and its years of cooperative conservation efforts, including extensive monitoring by the nationally-awarded Bald Eagle Nestwatch Program.

The breeding season for bald eagles in Arizona runs from December through June, although eagle pairs at higher elevations nest later than those in the rest of the state.  Continued support from the committee, State Wildlife Grants, the Heritage Fund (Arizona Lottery ticket sales) and funding through the Pittman-Robertson Act, will help ensure that Arizona’s bald eagles continue to thrive.

For more information on bald eagles in Arizona, visit www.azgfd.gov (click on “wildlife”) or www.swbemc.org. 

Bull elk poached northwest of Heber

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This trail camera photo shows a bull elk believed to have been shot by a poacher north of Heber.

PINETOP — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is investigating the poaching of a bull elk that was killed in late August north of Heber in Game Management Unit 4B.

The elk was located west of Forest Road 153 near Point and Javelina water catchments.  The poacher left the meat to waste.

“Someone may have information about this case,” said Arizona Game and Fish Department Wildlife Manager Ken Clay. “We need assistance from the public to find the individual(s) responsible. This is the action of a criminal — it’s theft of wildlife resources from the people of Arizona.” 

At the time the poaching occurred, many hunters were scouting for upcoming hunts and other outdoor recreationists were in the area, meaning they may have seen something or have valuable information about this crime. 
Anyone with information about this case can call the AZGFD’s Operation Game Thief hotline at (800) 352-0700 or visit www.azgfd.gov/thief and refer to case #19-003199. 

Callers may remain anonymous upon request and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,500 in this case upon arrest. An additional $2,500 reward is being offered by the Arizona Elk Society and $2,500 by the Arizona Deer Association upon arrest and conviction of the poachers.

Prescribed burns planned this week

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FLAGSTAFF – Coconino National Forest firefighters have planned and prepared to conduct several prescribed burns at locations across the Flagstaff Ranger District and Mogollon Rim Ranger District starting tomorrow, with some operations possibly being conducted simultaneously through early next week.

As always, each prescribed fire operation will be conducted when it has the most favorable conditions and are within its specific prescription. As such, these burns might not occur on the days listed below. Firing ignitions begin at approximately 9 a.m. each morning.

MOGOLLON RIM RANGER DISTRICT

1. Cragin Watershed Protection Project

  • When: Wednesday through Friday (Oct. 2 to 4).
  • Where: Approximately 4 miles south of the Mogollon Rim Ranger Station. GPS: 34.565258°, -111.169051°.
  • Size: 2,176 acres.
  • Duration: Several-day operation using helicopter-assisted aerial ignition.
  • Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast impacting state Route 87 and the Blue Ridge Communities possibly into the weekend. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn. This prescribed burn will be visible to motorists on SR87 and Lake Mary Road. Motorists who see smoke along on the roadway should slow down and be cautious.
  • Closures/Restrictions: Forest Road 95 will be closed between the junction of FR 751B south to the FR 139 junction for public safety.

FLAGSTAFF RANGER DISTRICT

1. Experimental Forest

  • When: Oct. 8 (Tuesday).
  • Where: Six miles northwest of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.272710°, -111.691766°
  • Size: 707 acres.
  • Duration: This is a one-day operation.
  • Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast and may impact U.S. Highway 89 north of Flagstaff. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas of Flagstaff and Fort Valley.
  • Closures/Restrictions: None expected.

2. Kachina

  • When: Oct. 9 & 10 (Wednesday and Thursday).
  • Where: Nine miles south of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.072046°, -111.711435°
  • Size: 844 acres.
  • Duration: Two-day operation.
  • Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn, such as Kelly Canyon or possibly Oak Creek Canyon.
  • Closures/Restrictions: None expected.

These burns are part of a strategy to allow fire across the landscape in order to restore forests to healthier conditions and improve the safety of the communities around them. Frequent, low-intensity fire removes accumulated smaller fuels and recycles nutrients in the soils to promote healthy vegetation and wildlife habitat. A healthier forest is a safer forest for firefighters and residents when wildfires inevitably occur.

Prescribed burns are always dependent upon weather and wind conditions, as well as approval from Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). The public can view approved prescribed burns on ADEQ’s website at smoke.azdeq.gov. Coconino National Forest burns begin with the Burn Number designation “COF.”

For more information about prescribed burns and the benefits of these fires across the landscape, please visit our Prescribed Burns and Smoke webpage. As well, if you are interested in how prescribed burns are planned and implemented, please see the document “Planning for and Implementing Prescribed Fire in Fire-Dependent Forests,” by Ecological Restoration Institute.