The Tucson Shovel‐nosed Snake is generally observed in Lower Colorado River Sonoran
Desert scrub plant communities, where plant species may include creosote bush, cactus,
or mesquite. The Tucson Shovel‐nosed Snake is found only in the deserts of south‐central
Arizona (within Pima and Pinal counties) where sandy washes, dunes, sandy flats, and
areas of loose soil occur.
Tucson Shovel‐nosed Snake
Source: Arizona Fish and Game;
http://azgfd.gov/w_c/research_T
SNS.shtml
Field surveys have confirmed the presence of Tucson Shovel‐nosed Snakes and suitable
habitat at the Florence Military Reservation. Although no major threats to the population
have been identified, it has been noted loss of species habitat due to human activities are
considered a likely source of negative impacts.
Loss of habitat is one of the primary reasons for loss of biodiversity, including diversity in
both animal and plant communities. Destruction, degradation, and fragmentation are
the driving forces behind current decline in species across the U.S. and globally. Impacts
on habitats can be caused directly by activities such as the clearing of forests to grow
crops or build homes or indirectly by activities such as the introduction of invasive
species or pollutants via run‐off from yards and fields.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department has developed a State Wildlife Action Plan
(SWAP) that provides a comprehensive vision for managing Arizona's wildlife and wildlife
habitats. The Arizona SWAP is different from most existing species recovery plans
because it works with existing management plans and active wildlife conservation
projects. The Plan outlines strategies and conservation actions aimed at promoting
partnerships and coordinating efforts among all who hold a stake in conserving Arizona’s
wildlife. The Plan focuses on identifying and managing the wildlife and habitats that are
in the greatest need of conservation.
The USFWS approved a revised SWAP in 2012 that provides a roadmap for wildlife
conservation from 2012 to 2022 and considers many of the recent changes in Arizona
that impact wildlife, including habitat loss due to significant human population growth
and increasing demand for renewable energy sources that results in the development of
large‐scale wind and solar energy projects. The emergence of new wildlife diseases and
the growing number of new invasive species are also addressed. A valuable resource is
the Arizona Game and Fish Department's On‐Line Environmental Review Tool (ERT),
which is a web‐based GIS tool for displaying and querying spatial data, such as the
location of riparian areas, wildlife corridors, and other relevant data. The ERT can be
found at https://azhgis2.esri.com/.
A significant impediment to successful wildlife management is habitat fragmentation and
the lack of corridors that allow animals to move within areas and across regions. The
Pinal County Wildlife Connectivity Assessment: Report on Stakeholder Input was
prepared by the Arizona Game and Fish Department in 2013 to help address impacts on
5-12
Compatibility Assessment