Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park was first designated a National Monument in 1933, but it took another 64 years before the area was designated as National Park, with the two districts, East and West, separated by Tucson. Besides the saguaros unique to the Sonoran Desert, some of which reach heights of 50 feet and are over 200 years old, Saguaro National Park also contains mountainous areas of pine and conifer forests that form a green canvas, creating the most biodiverse desert in North America. These diverse landscapes support an ideal habitat for a wide range of plant and animal life, including wildlife such as javelina, coyote, quail and desert tortoise in lower elevations, and Black Bear, deer and Mexican Spotted Owl in higher elevations. In total, over 200 bird species, 50 reptile species and 70 wildlife species were documented in the park. The park's mammals include cougars, coyotes, bobcats, White-Tailed Deer, Mule Deer, javelinas, Grey Foxes, Black-Tailed Jackrabbits, Desert Cottontails, Ring-Tailed Cats, White-Nosed Coatis, Ground Squirrels and packrats. An endangered mammal, the Lesser Long-Nosed bat lives in the park for part of the year and in Mexico for the rest of the year. The park's wide range of habitats is home to a diverse population of birds, among them some that are not common elsewhere in the United States, such as the Vermilion Flycatcher and the Whiskered Screech Owl. The park's bird species include the Great Horned Owl, Cactus Wren, raven, kestrel, Turkey Vulture, roadrunner woodpecker, hawk, quail, hummingbird and an endangered species, the Mexican Spotted Owl.