Brown pelican Gray whale Desert sucker Longfin dace River otter

Water transforms desert land into a haven for native bird, fish species

Habitat changes due to elevation are very gradual, but there is a way to suddenly change a habitat in the Sonoran Desert. How? Just add water.

The biggest water habitat in these parts is the Gulf of California, between Baja California and mainland Mexico. Sometimes called the Sea of Cortez, it's about 760 miles long and an average of 95 miles wide. Its depth ranges from 100 feet to 10,000 feet.

The Gulf of California has mild temperatures and crystal-blue water, attracting a vast number of critters. More than 800 species of fish and 200 species of birds make their home there. If you were cruising through it in a boat, bottlenose dolphins might swim along with you. You might also spot one of 23 species of whales, or sea lions hanging out on island shores.

Most of the other Sonoran Desert habitats changed by water are in what are called riparian areas along rivers or other bodies of water such as springs and lakes. Riparian areas not only attract animals that live in them permanently, like fish, beavers and salamanders, but also other animals that use these areas like a corridor, or highway. Riparian areas make good corridors because they provide animals that are moving from one place to another with food, shelter and water.

The biggest riparian habitat in the Sonoran Desert is the Colorado River, where there is always water running above the ground. But there are also dry washes or riverbeds called "dry riparian" or "desert riparian." Even though the wash in your neighborhood may carry water for only a few hours a year, it's still enough to support many plants and animals, especially birds.

People trying to save our native fish species face a big challenge, said Barbara Terkanian of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. "Fish are a special topic in the Sonoran Desert as far as I'm concerned because about two-thirds of the species are threatened or endangered," she said.

The two main problems: Non-native fish species that were brought here from other places often eat the native species. And habitat has been lost to the growing population of people moving to the Sonoran Desert. As more water is pumped from the ground for people to drink, the water levels in some riparian areas drop.

The best way you can help preserve native fish species is to save as much water as possible when you brush your teeth or take a shower. If enough people here used less water, it could actually help save some riparian habitats.

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