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Fauna Series No. 2
Part II
Fauna of the National Parks
of the United States
PART II
REPORT ON WILDLIFE OF
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL MONUMENT
Submitted to the Director of the National Park Service May 8, 1933
NOTE.—Since the status of pronghorn is unsatisfactory generally, the Grand Canyon National Monument report has been included in the series to indicate activities of the National Park Service in providing for pronghorn in the Southwest. It should be noted here that the Petrified Forest National Monument range for pronghorn—some 40 square miles—has already been fenced against cattle, and the Grand Canyon National Monument fence and water development program (see report) is under way.
GRAZING AND HOMESTEADS
The grazing and agricultural utilization of the area is treated in detail in the report of Superintendent Tillotson. These factors are, however, important from the standpoint of wildlife administration and will be briefly discussed here.
In Tuweep1 Valley, homesteads extend from the upper portion to within about six miles of the lower end of the valley. Cattle and sheep graze in the Mount Trumbull section of the monument and perhaps 40,000 head of sheep winter on the plateau section between Tuweep Valley and Kanab Creek. The entire area covered in the three and a half days of reconnaissance showed varying degrees of overgrazing. In the plateau area, growth of the sparse grasses is encouraged by removal of sheep as soon as the snow disappears. The region then is untouched until snowfall late in the year. This practice has been developed because of the lack of water in the area. Thus a system of deferred grazing is actually in effect. Browse plants, however, receive little benefit from this practice because they can be overbrowsed during the winter months, a condition illustrated by the Kaibab winter deer range. Grass and such shrubs as Atriplex and the browse plants listed for the Sandrock area could be improved in Tuweep Valley and the Sandrocks by further protection. Superintendent Tillotson's suggestion that the south line of W. A. Kent's homestead be the deadline for grazing in the valley and that all of the valley south of Kent's place and north of the river be preserved for American pronghorn range, should result in improved conditions in this portion of the valley. It is Mr. Tillotson's plan to prohibit grazing in the Sandrock area also.
Figure 39. – Inner gorge of the Colorado,
approximately 3,000 feet deep, as seen from Toroweep Point, lower
end of Toroweep Valley, Grand Canyon National Monument.
(Photograph taken May 3, 1933, Grand Canyon National Monument.
Wildlife Division No. 3240.)
The southern portion of the Trumbulls shows no over-grazing, but the northern portion of the mountains within the monument is over grazed, principally by cattle. The homesteaded land is, of course, at present largely useless for wildlife considerations.
Since the abolition or severe restriction of grazing in the monument area would impose an undue hardship upon ranchers who live there, no such course seems justified at present. However, an advised restriction of the number of stock allowed to use the range throughout the monument—other than the southern portion of Tuweep Valley, which should be entirely closed to grazing—will be necessary to keep the range from further deterioration. With the granting of no new grazing or homestead privileges the region should become available for wildlife and for national-park purposes in the future, at which time full development of the native wildlife resources will be possible. For the present, the possibilities of wildlife reinstatement are few.
AMERICAN PRONGHORN
It is reported by W. A. Kent, who first came into the region in 1914, that American pronghorn (probably Antilocapra americana oregona) were then plentiful in Tuweep Valley and in the region in general. (The pronghorn at Indian Gardens are probably of this species.) A band of six roamed just west of the Trumbulls until about 5 years ago, but Kent does not know of their having been seen since.
Figure 40. – The proposed pronghorn range in the
southern portion of Toroweep Valley comprises approximately 25 square
miles.
(Photograph taken May 3, 1933, southern portion of Toroweep
Valley, Grand Canyon National Monument. Wildlife Division No. 2998.)
The proposed pronghorn range in the southern portion of Tuweep Valley comprises an estimated area of 25 square miles. This is sufficient territory to support perhaps several hundred animals when the range is in normal condition. The herd would be a natural and important attraction along the road to Toroweep Point. In that the range would be restricted to this relatively small area, however, the set-up would not be entirely natural, for it is highly probable that the pronghorns in former times roamed widely over the entire area from the Vermilion Cliffs to the river.
The question of water in this proposed refuge will have to be considered. A small seep is found at the base of the eastern cliff of Tuweep about midway along the pronghorn range. The water flow is small and is limited to about 3 months of the year. This would be insufficient. If the animals were allowed to roam the entire region as they did formerly, they could find enough water to subsist and any artificial water supply would be unnecessary. But since their restriction to the lower end of the Tuweep Valley is necessary at present, an artificial water supply to meet the demands imposed by an artificial limitation would seem to be justifiable.
It seems likely that this demand could be met at comparatively small cost. An old lake bed, perhaps a quarter section in area, lies just north of Vulcan's Throne at the south end of the pronghorn range. This has been used by the stockmen of the vicinity, who have thrown a small dirt dam across the spillway to impound water. With a more durable type of construction, water probably could be impounded the year round. The experiment seems worth making.
Figure 41. – Old earth dam across the lake outlet.
(Photograph taken May 3, 1933, foot of Vulcan's Throne, Grand Canyon
National Monument. Wildlife Division No. 2997.)
Figure 42. – Dry lake bed at the foot of Vulcan's
Throne.
(Photograph taken May 3, 1933, Grand Canyon National Monument.
Wildlife Division No. 2996.)
MULE DEER
A State deer refuge borders the entire west line of the monument. This refuge was created in 1930 because of the unwarranted killing of deer in the Trumbull Mountains. It was reported that one man had killed 30 deer to be fed to his chickens. Such chickens seem to he voracious, but the story is taken for what it is worth. Last fall Kent saw a band of 35 deer on the north side of the Trumbulls. Deer, however, are not numerous in the mountains. During 1 day's ride from the floor of the valley to the crest of the mountain, along the crest to the south end, and return, we saw no deer and few deer tracks. In the plateau portion of the monument deer are reported present, especially along the points near the river, but are not numerous. We saw no deer the day we rode over the plateau.
It is not probable that deer were ever abundant in the monument area because of its aridity, but it is certain that they were more numerous in former times than at present. Deer forage is plentiful in the Trumbull section and is sufficient to meet all normal needs in the plateau section and down on the Sandrocks where deer winter.
If given protection these animals should increase perceptibly in the next few years, although protection will be difficult with the presence of sheep herders in the areas.
DESERT BIGHORN
Mr. Kent reported seeing two Desert bighorns along the cliffs east of Tuweep Valley the week before we arrived. He reports them common along the cliffs north of the Sandrocks, also. Prohibition of grazing in the Sandrock area should give the bighorns needed protection. Since they are scarce in Grand Canyon National Park, their presence in the monument is a valuable asset to the limited game resources.
Figure 43. – Vegetation of the Sandrock area along
the brink of the inner gorge. This is valuable winter range for deer
and mountain sheep.
(Photograph taken May 3, 1933, Sandrock area,
Grand Canyon National Monument. Wildlife Division No. 2992.)
OTHER ANIMALS OF THE REGION
These may be treated briefly. Ringtail, spotted skunk, badger, gray fox, kit fox, coyote, and bobcat are reported present. There is some winter trapping practiced in the vicinity, and the foregoing are reported caught. Cougars at one time were plentiful in the Trumbulls but have been hunted so persistently that they now are very scarce. Prairie dogs are not found north of the canyon although they are present south of it. Jack rabbits and cottontails are numerous, but they are reported to have decreased suddenly about 3 years ago. Before that time they were so numerous as to be considered a pest. One porcupine was seen, and a few porcupine scars on small yellow pines, but the damage is so slight in the area as to be negligible. The little cinnamon ground squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus cinnamomeus) was seen from the Sandrocks to the yellow pines of the mountain.
CONCLUSIONS
1. Excepting the possibility of reintroduced American pronghorn, the fauna of the monument probably never will be spectacular, because of the aridity of the region.
2. Grazing should be eliminated from the proposed pronghorn range and the Sandrocks.
3. It seems desirable to attempt the reintroduction of the American pronghorn (Antilocapra americana oregona).
4. The production of an artificial water supply for pronghorn appears necessary and justifiable to counteract the unnatural restriction of the animals to the refuge. If in the future sufficient range were available to support them, the artificial water supply might not be necessary.
5. Restricted grazing throughout time remainder of the monument seems to be the only justifiable course for the present. But, owing to the overgrazed character of most of the range, restriction of the number of stock grazed will be necessary to prevent further deterioration. The actual number of stock which the range can support must be determined by further study.
1 Tuweep same as Toroweep.
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Last Modified: Tues, Feb 1 2000 07:08:48 pm PDT
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