Sedona, Arizona Wildlife

Sedona Arizona wildlife will amaze and fascinate you. Red Rock Country is home to numerous species which have adapted over the centuries to survive in harsh low-water conditions, such as feisty critters like tarantulas, gila monsters, and javelina. Some critters have adapted, more recently in the scale of earth time, to the presence of humans. In town, in Sedona, Arizona, you will find all sorts of Sedona Arizona wildlife species who've learned to live with human civilization, or off it, rather. There are rovers who steal food off picnic tables, gambel's quail who parade slowly, unbothered across busy streets, stopping traffic, and coyotes prowling back yards looking for food. Javelina become nuisances by gobbling up backyard gardens and anything else they might find, true scavengers that the are. Deer are just about as pesky as the javelina, and rattlesnakes do their part to annoy homeowners by finding nap spots under objects in garages. Packrats make their presence known by making nests where they can find a good spot, including inside woodpiles in your back yard.

The Oak Creek Area

Oak Creek and, for that matter, West Fork because the mini-climate and habitat are similar, are riparian areas, which means lots of water and creeks. Plentiful water means the area can support life that otherwise couldn't survive in the environment of Sedona Arizona. In other words, you'll see here at Oak Creek and West Fork animals that you won't find elsewhere in Red Rock country. Examples are ringtails, tiger salamanders, and great blue herons, who rely on water supplies to hunt for fish. They feed on riparian area plants such as berries, canyon grapes, golden columbine, and watercress.

Wildlife in the Canyons around Sedona, Arizona

The canyons around Sedona Arizona are dry and hot, and support oak woodlands who have holly-shaped leaves. They produce acorns which allow many creatures to find sustenance in the canyons, including ancient traditional food of the Yavapai people. Birds and squirrels love the acorns, especially. The canyon slopes support manzanita, scrub oak, and mountain mahogany, which looks lush and green from afar, but up close it's dense, tangled, and rough. Hikers will not be able to penetrate the thick underbrush, making bushwhacking impossible. If you progress further up the canyons, you pass from woodland to forests of ponderosa pine, spruce and fir. These conifer forests are home to black bears, the northern goshawk, and Abert's squirrels. There are mountain lions in the canyons as well, although their numbers are decreasing.

The dominant system of ecology is the pinon-juniper woodland, whose trees include various species of juniper and pinon. There is an amazing variety of species in these areas, up around 55 types of mammals and 180 species of birds.

Wildlife in the Desert Grasslands around Sedona, Arizona

Out here, Sedona Arizona wildlife is a bit different. West and south of Sedona Arizona you will find desert grasslands on which grow grama grass, yucca, saltbush, ocotillo and prickly pear cactus. Living amongst these grasses and cacti are snakes, roadrunners and lizards, who feed on fruit of the prickly pear, amongst other things. Cottontail rabbits are everywhere, and feed on the numerous grasses, mesquite, and cactus.

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