Climate disruption means dislocation and possible extinction for some of Santa Fe’s most beloved birds, fish, snakes, lizards and other wildlife.
New Mexico is the fourth most bio-diverse state in the country, but this distinction also places us in the center of the bullseye for climate impacts on area wildlife.
Recent U.S. Geological Survey [USGS] studies, wildlife assessments by New Mexico Game & Fish, as well as bird inventories from the Audubon society, all confirm some of our favorite animals are gradually migrating away from Santa Fe and New Mexico, including, horned lizards, Jemez Mountain Salamander, Sonoran Desert Tortoise, Gila Monster, Pinyon Jay, Pygmy Nuthatch, Sage Thrasher and Black-Throated Sparrow, to name a few.
According to Keith Howard, program leader at the Navajo Nation's climate change program, climate disruption has already arrived on Navajo land in the Four Corners area of Northwestern New Mexico.
Keith says the Diné people feel it, see it, and understand they must act now.
"Time has come to tell us climate change has impacted our wildlife drastically, whereas people encroaching on these sensitive wildlife habitats, disrupting migration routes through development of roads, housing development, power lines and so forth," Howard said.
"So our tribe is looking at ways to make those minor adjustments like wildlife corridors where we have these migration routes. So we believe that now is the time for education."
John Hayes of Audubon Southwest says some of Santa Fe's most beloved birds are vulnerable to extinction by the end of the century because their habitat is dwindling along with the food they need to survive.
"What we're seeing is we're seeing habitat loss. It's not always just forest turns into a parking lot somewhere. Quite often we see because of changing weather patterns and changing climate, is a beloved bird of the Pinyon Juniper woodlands of Northern New Mexico, and really all the Four Corner states and a lot of the great basin," Hayes said.
"That bird is one of the fastest declining birds in the west, and that's largely driven by the loss of the pinyon juniper landscape."
Ginny Seamster with New Mexico Department of Game and Fish confirms habitat is changing rapidly for many species that make Santa Fe their home.
"The loss of water, the drying trends that are anticipated, and the very severe impacts that those can have on our forests," Seamster said.
"I think that's going to be some of the biggest impacts that we're going to see. Like I say, it's going to get hotter. It's going to get drier. So the reality is we will be losing some species, both of vegetation and of wildlife. I'm sure a lot of people in the Santa Fe area have seen changes in the trees, in the types of plants that maybe grow in their yards. There's a lot of projections of tree death. And that can have a huge impact on the diversity of wildlife that are present."
David Pilliod with USGS says some Santa Fe area, snakes and lizards will need to head north into Colorado and Idaho in order to survive. But migration is not a guarantee of survival.
"Unfortunately for reptiles, like lizards and snakes, they can get hit on the roads. And since we have such a road network in the United States, that creates a hazard for animals trying to cross roads," Pilliod said.
"I mean, it's possible they could get there physically, but when they get to these new places, maybe their food isn't available, or maybe the habitats just aren't quite suitable enough for them to reproduce and thrive."
But despite current climate trends, the wildlife experts we spoke with are in agreement: It is not too late to delay further climate disruption and dislocation of Santa Fe area wildlife."
Audubon Southwest, New Mexico Game & Fish, the Navajo Nation and USGS have all developed science-based action plans, detailing specific actions that can help further delay climate disruption and the negative impacts on Santa Fe area wildlife.
These plans provide information to help Santa Fe residents understand more about climate disruption, along with ways to help ensure area wildlife have the best chance for survival and can continue to make Santa Fe their home for a long time into the future.
Resources
NM Department of Game and Fish
State Wildlife Action Plan - NMDGF
Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife
https://www.navajoclimatechange.org/
US Geological Survey
Climate futures for lizards and snakes | U.S. Geological Survey
Amphibian and Reptile Species Distribution Explorer
Habitat Management Guidelines | PARC
Audubon Southwest
https://www.audubon.org/climate/survivalbydegrees
https://southwest.audubon.org/sites/default/files/audubon_southwest_impact_report_2024.pdf
