On-line Book
cover to Fauna 2
Fauna Series No. 2


Cover

Contents

Foreword

Introduction

Part I

Part II



Fauna of the National Parks
of the United States

PART II

REPORT CONCERNING A PROPOSED EXTENSION OF
MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK

Submitted to tile Director of the National Park Service October 24, 1933

NOTE: The opportunity to do something constructive for Merriam turkey and Mexican bighorn seems to be gradually shaping itself at Mesa Verde. But several obstacles must first be removed. They are indicated in the excerpts from the October 24, 1933, report. In the May 11, 1934, Wildlife Restoration Plan for Mesa Verde, these same difficulties are presented with what steps have been taken toward solution. Also, wildlife possibilities for the Mesa are indicated.

July 5-7, 1933, I accompanied Supt. C. Marshall Finnan on a pack trip up the Mancos Canyon from Ute to Stevens Canyon, exploring several of the intervening side canyons en route, and covering the Big Mesa portion of the Ute Indian Reservation lying between the southeast corner of Mesa Verde National Park and the Mancos Canyon. The present report is to recommend the acquisition by the National Park Service of that portion of the Ute Reservation bounded by Mancos Canyon, Navajo Canyon, and the present southeast boundary of the park. If such were accomplished, Mesa Verde National Park would comprise the whole of the Mesa Verde Plateau north of the Mancos River, with the exception of the more arid western section, which is now outside the park.

In order to give the perspective which makes the acquisition of this Ute territory desirable, it is necessary to give the faunal possibilities of an enlarged Mesa Verde National Park.

MEXICAN BIGHORN were probably native to the Mesa at one time. Nordenskiold called one of the branches of the Navajo Canyon "Sheep Canyon", and early explorers of the Mesa found mountain sheep horns. There are no sheep there now, but forage is abundant and conditions suitable for their reintroduction, except that the territory is too limited. Under the present set-up they would be exposed constantly to poaching. It probably would be impossible to have mountain sheep in the park with the present boundaries. But if the proposed boundary extension were consummated it would be desirable to reintroduce this species.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN MULE DEER are present within the park in limited numbers. Last fall deer were reported plentiful in migration, from the La Platas and from the northern part of the Mesa, moving southward toward the lower reaches of the Mesa along the Mancos Canyon. During the winter various observers reported fresh buckskins seen at Ute camps. While the Navajos do not kill deer themselves, they are willing to barter with the Utes for the buckskins—a double reason for the annual toll of deer. Few deer were reported during the spring immigration. I saw very few deer tracks anywhere on the Mesa and saw only one deer during the 3 days of time pack trip. This is a very unfortunate circumstance in that nowhere in the West have we seen finer or more abundant deer forage than is to be found on the Mesa Verde. It is a unique haven for deer, yet deer are noticeably scarce. In fall and winter when they move down into the Ute Reservation they are unprotected. This is also the "happy hunting ground " for other inhabitants of the region, whose activities are not strictly limited to the legal seasons. If these hazards could be removed, and this choice winter range acquired, Mesa Verde might have its natural component of deer.

FUR BEARERS.—The present area of the park is too small to protect the roving fur-bearing animals. Five cougars are reported killed in the immediate vicinity of the park within the last 2 years—probable result, a porcupine problem still exists within the park. Two years ago fox and coyote tracks were numerous over the Mesa; at present they are scarce—probable result, an abnormal increase of prairie dogs is noticeable. Beaver workings are numerous along the Mancos River. The beaver-cut logs and stumps range in age from those almost obliterated to last year's workings. The record portrayed in these cuttings seems to be that of repeated invasions by the beavers, a brief occupancy, and repeated disappearances. With beavers unprotected in the Mancos Canyon it is improbable that a permanent beaver population can be maintained.

WILD TURKEYS were kept by the cliff dwellers. This custom is prevalent among the Indian Pueblos of the Southwest today. However the record is sufficiently indefinite to make it impossible to ascertain whether wild turkeys were at one time native to the Mesa. In various of the canyons Ponderosa Pine is present to a limited degree. Mr. J. Stokley Ligon says that he has never found turkeys away from this pine. I think, however, that there is sufficient pine in the Mesa canyons and sufficient turkey food to provide suitable range for the Merriam turkey in Mesa Verde. Water holes would have to be developed on the Mesa for these birds, as well as for the other forms of wildlife, to augment the springs found in the canyons. The development of such water holes seems reasonable because the cliff dwellers built small reservoirs at various places on the Mesa. The wildlife undoubtedly profited by this added supply of water. Since the wild turkey played such an important part in the life of the cliff dwellers, its reintroduction is very desirable. But the present territory of the park is too limited to maintain turkeys.

The DUSKY GROUSE, at present fairly abundant on the Mesa, probably would thrive by the added protection of increased territory and water supply. If the Ute section of the Mesa is ever developed by the building of a road up the Mancos Canyon and the introduction of domestic sheep on the Mesa, grouse, as well as all other forms of life within the present park, probably will suffer heavily. * * *

VEGETATION OF THE AREA UNDER CONSIDERATION.—Although some sheep grazing occurs in the Ute Reservation immediately southeast of the park, the vegetation is still in a fairly normal condition. Wheat grass still is present and bunch grasses are widespread. It is notable that the grasses still grow under the juniper and piñon forest, as all early explorers have reported, which condition is rarely found in the Southwest today. Wild flowers are abundant; this section of the Mesa is really green. Large clumps of Gambel Oak, an excellent browse plant, are numerous in the section nearest the park. Cereocarpus, Amelanchier, Fendlera, and Purshia are unusually abundant. Much of the area was burned, perhaps 50 to 60 years ago. In this portion, browse and grasses have returned, almost to the exclusion of the juniper and piñon. This is some of the finest deer winter range I have ever seen. It is equally valuable for domestic sheep, but is unsuited to their continued utilization. If it is turned into sheep range, this excellent forage will be destroyed, and the area then will be useless for either grazing or wildlife purposes. The area is not large enough to be of great value to the reservation, but it is the critical area from the park point of view.

Grazing has been practiced in the Mancos Canyon for years and exactly what is predicted here for the Mesa has happened on the floor of the canyon. Grass is gone; we scraped the soil in a few places where there was no visible sign of grass and found old grass root stubs. All desirable browse is cropped close to the ground: Gamble Oak, Artemisia, and Atriplex, the most palatable plants, are heavily browsed and reproduction is scarce. Indians have burned patches of willows and arrow-weed to open the ground for grass. These burned areas are practically barren.

ADMINISTRATIVE DIFFICULTIES.—The Mancos River is the logical boundary for the park on the south and east. It has the advantage of definiteness and forms a more natural faunal unit by segregating the section of the Mesa north of it from everything else of similar altitude amid biotic character. It virtually is impossible to keep sheep grazing and poaching out of the park with the present arbitrary boundary skirting this Ute segment of the plateau. Sheep watering tanks were found on the Mesa so near the park boundary that it was impossible to tell whether they were inside or outside of the park. And numerous signs of sheep grazing were evident within the park.

CONCLUSION

Mesa Verde National Park needs the natural faunal picture to supplement the archeological story presented. The wildlife of the Mesa at the time of the cliff dwellers was as much a part of their civilization as the artifacts and buildings. Without the wild life there could have been no Mesa Verde culture. It is important that this phase of the picture be preserved and presented today. Such a course is impossible with the present boundary, and will be even more remote if the Ute section of the Mesa is turned into domestic sheep pasture. Mountain sheep, deer, all the fur bearers, turkeys, grouse, and all the other forms of native wildlife of the Mesa should be there today. We have not yet begun to realize the wildlife possibilities of this park.

NEXT> Wildlife restoration plan for Mesa Verde National Park



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