Rinconada Canyon Stop 11

The view from Stop 11 on the Rinconada Canyon Trail.

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Amenities

3 listed

Audio Description, Cellular Signal, Scenic View/Photo Spot

Audio Tour Stop #11: The desert ecosystem 

(1.3 miles / 2.09 km – on return trail) 

Petroglyph National Monument is home to a wide variety of wildlife; one reason being that we are in the transition zone between the Chihuahuan Desert and the High Desert. This means we have a specific range of plants and animals that can survive here. What are some animals you have noticed so far? Common species at Rinconada include New Mexico whiptail lizards, leopard lizards, desert millipedes, Pinacate “stink” beetles, roadrunners, turkey vultures, cottontail rabbits, and coyotes. Each of these animals have unique adaptations to survive in the desert. Each is beneficial to the ecosystem and contributes to the landscape you see today.   

Let’s start small: the desert millipedes you might see after a summer monsoon rain are the desert’s best decomposers. In the typical hot, dry conditions of the desert, organic matter takes much longer to decompose. Millipedes are detritivores, earth’s natural recyclers. They feed on plants and animals that have died, which recycles nutrients back into the soil much faster than waiting for the plant or animal to decompose in this arid environment. This is very important for the survival of living plants and animals because the sandy soils in Petroglyph tend to have very few nutrients.  

Another common species throughout the Monument is the New Mexico whiptail lizard. They are easily identifiable because of their bright turquoise-blue tail. They have black and yellow vertical stripes down the length of its back that fades into the tail. They can grow up to 6 to 9 inches or 15 to 22 centimeters in length and they have the longest tail to body ratio of any lizard in the desert southwest. New Mexico whiptails are the official state reptile of the Land of Enchantment. An interesting fact about New Mexico whiptails is that all of them are females. This species reproduces through a process called parthenogenesis. This means there are no males in the population and all individuals are genetically identical.  

Finally, you might see one or more coyotes on the mesa top, depending on the time of day. Coyotes are an important species that help maintain balance in the ecosystem by keeping small mammal populations under control, which can spread disease if unchecked. They maintain hydration from the prey they eat but will occasionally eat prickly pear cactus fruit for extra hydration and nourishment. Coyotes are natives of the southwest desert but have expanded throughout the North American continent. They can easily adapt to harsh environments and take advantage and thrive in urban areas.