National Drought Mitigation Center
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National Drought Mitigation Center
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Wildlife struggling amid drought in Yavapai County, Arizona
5/9/2018 5:24:38 PM



CATEGORIES:
Plants & Wildlife
AFFECTED AREAS:
Yavapai County, AZ
Chino Valley, AZ
Prescott, AZ
Prescott Valley, AZ

Start Date: 5/8/2018 -  
After one of Prescott’s driest winter and spring seasons, there was too little drinking water for wildlife and poor plant growth among vegetation that grass-eating animals enjoy. Almost no green-up was occurring, according to Darren Tucker, wildlife manager supervisor for Prescott at the Arizona Game and Fish Department. As a result, many grass-eaters, such as pronghorn, were coming closer to major roadways to find food and water. “We’re seeing them inside the right-of-way fence on Highway 89 and 89A, because there’s green-up right at the edge of the roadway,” Tucker said. “We saw this before in 2002, when it was a really bad drought year.” Pronghorn, typically timid animals, have even been seen in neighborhoods and people’s yards in Chino Valley and Prescott Valley seeking food and water. With the animals on the move, more have been killed in traffic. The Prescott Valley Daily Courier (Ariz.), May 8, 2018
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