Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge

The semidesert grassland supports the reintroduction of Masked quail and pronghorns. Prescribed and natural fires play a major role in maintaining and restoring the sea of grass that once filled the Altar Valley. Riparian (wetland) areas along Arivaca Cienega and Arivaca Creek attract an abundance of birds. Brown Canyon, to the west of the Arivaca Creek area, is nestled in the Baboquivari Mountains, where a sycamore-lined stream meanders through oak woodland.

The refuge is home to 58 mammal species. Among the larger species are mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, javelina and puma. There are also more than 325 different bird species and 53 species of reptiles and amphibians. Reintroduced masked bobwhite (Colinus virginianus ridgwayi) are found in the refuge.

Occasional jaguar vagrants are reported in the area, which is contiguous with Mexico. Between 2004 and 2007 an old male jaguar was followed by researchers in the area. The animal was called 'Macho B' by the researchers and has been previously photographed in 1996 in the area. During the study its home range compassed the mountains to east and west of the Altar Valley, which is situated in the Refuge. In addition at least one other jaguar was recorded in the area during that study.Emil B. Mccain and Jack L. Childs: "Evidence of resident Jaguars (Panthera onca) in the Southwestern United States and the Implications for Conservation." Journal of Mammalogy, 89(1):1–10, 2008

The male jaguar, 'Macho B', is dead. The jaguar was euthanized after being captured on a snare trap.[http://archive.azcentral.com/news/articles/20121209macho-b-cover-up-celebrations.html "Macho B: Cover-up amid celebrations"], By Dennis Wagner , The Republic | azcentral.com

File:Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge Arivaca Creek 2015.JPG

Most of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge is open for visiting and research. Guided access is also available through Friends of Buenos Aires NWR programs.{{Cite web |url=http://www.friendsofbanwr.org/workshops-and-walks/ |title=Friends of Buenos Aires NWR - Workshops and Walks |access-date=2010-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726065551/http://www.friendsofbanwr.org/workshops-and-walks/ |archive-date=2011-07-26 |url-status=dead }} The Arivaca Cienega Trail and the Arivaca Creek Trail are National Recreation Trails.{{cite web | url=https://www.nrtapplication.org/trails/arivaca-cienega-trail | title=Arivaca Cienega Trail }}{{cite web | url=https://www.nrtapplication.org/trails/arivaca-creek-trail | title=Arivaca Creek Trail }}

Some {{convert|3500|acre|ha}} of the refuge (about 3% of its area) was closed in 2006 to public access due to human safety concerns. At that time there was a marked increase in violence along the border due to human and drug trafficking. The closed area extends north from the international border roughly {{convert|3/4|mi|m}} away. As of 2010, this portion remains closed; however, the Fish and Wildlife Service reports a marked decline in violence.[http://www.fws.gov/southwest/docs/MediaAdvisory.BorderRefugeOpen.62010.pdf Media Advisory: Border Refuge Not Closed], U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2010).

Environmental degradation is the most visible consequence of border crossings through the refuge. A few years ago, there were 45 abandoned cars on the Buenos Aires refuge near Sasabe, Arizona and enough trash that a volunteer couple filled 723 large bags with {{convert|18000|lbs|-2}} of garbage over two months in 2002."Dumping of Trash, Waste, Endemic in State with Flood of Illegal Immigration", Arthur H. Rotstein, Associated Press Newswires, Dateline Coronado National Memorial, Arizona July 12, 2004

{{Portal|Arizona}}

• Sayre, Nathan f. Species of capital: Ranching, endangered species, and urbanization in the southwest. Tucson: university of Arizona press, 2002.
• Arivaca, Arizona
• Sonoran Desert wiki-index
• List of largest National Wildlife Refuges
• List of protected grasslands of North America

{{Include-USGov

|agency=United States Fish and Wildlife Service}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Commons category-inline|Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge}}
• [http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Buenos_Aires/ Official website]
• [http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/chekbird/r2/buenosai.htm Bird Checklists for Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge]
• [http://www.friendsofbanwr.org/ Friends of Buenos Aires NWR website]

{{Protected Areas of Arizona}}

{{National Wildlife Refuges of the United States}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Protected areas of the Sonoran Desert

Category:Grasslands of Arizona

Category:Protected areas of Pima County, Arizona

Category:National Wildlife Refuges in Arizona

Category:Landforms of Pima County, Arizona

Category:Wetlands of Arizona

Category:Protected areas established in 1985

Category:1985 establishments in Arizona

Category:Protected areas of the Chihuahuan Desert