At the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, we live up to our name. Our goal is to protect the biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert for future generations.
But what is the Sonoran Desert?
The Sonoran Desert is the region extending from Southwestern portions of the United States (Arizona & California) through the northwestern states of Mexico, including Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. This area is known for it’s remarkable biodiversity, specialized species, and unique biomes.
At the Coalition, we focus our work in Pima County, as that’s where the landscape faces most development pressures in Southern Arizona. Our region overlaps with the Sonoran Desert and Madrean Archipelago Ecoregions (otherwise known as the Madrean Sky Islands).
It is worth noting that although the boundaries in the map above are helpful to give context to the region, the Sonoran Desert doesn’t end like a hard line on a map. At the edge, the habitat blends into the surrounding landscape and is influenced by its surrounding biotic communities, creating transition zones.
Weather and climate
The Sonoran Desert is unique in many ways, including its wide range of climates and extreme weather conditions.
Due to the variety of distinct biomes here, the climate varies significantly depending on the location and the season. In general, the hottest and driest areas are in lower elevations in the grasslands and scrublands, and the cooler, more temperate areas are at higher elevations and along riparian corridors.
At the hottest time of the year, between June and August, the Sonoran Desert has an average high of 97°F. In Tucson proper, it’s not uncommon to experience temperatures between 100-115°F on a hot summer day. This is a stark contrast to the winter months, where the average highs are in the mid 60s (°F) and the average lows in the mid 30s (°F). However, we continue to see variations and record temperatures due to climate change.
Despite the extreme temperatures and arid environment, it may surprise you to learn that the Sonoran Desert is considered the wettest desert in the world. It’s true! But uniquely, it only has two rainy seasons per year (AKA a bimodal rainfall pattern): one in the summer and one in the winter. The summer rains are so important to the desert, and change the landscape so dramatically, that it creates a fifth season here – known as monsoon season.
Sonoran Desert Flora and Fauna
The Sonoran Desert is also considered the most biodiverse desert in the world. This biodiversity is in part attributed to the wide range of biomes within the Sonoran Desert and the unique adaptations species developed to thrive here.
The Sonoran Desert is home to at least 60 different species of mammals, more than 350 bird species, and over 100 reptiles.1 Many animals here are nocturnal or crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) to beat the heat. These animals spend the hot days in the cool shelter of their burrows or nests and come out when it’s cooler to eat or to hunt or move through the landscape.
Additionally, there are over 2,000 species of native plants in the Sonoran Desert.2 Shrubs, trees, cacti, wildflowers, agaves, grasses and more can all be found here. Common plants include barrel cacti, prickly pears, chollas, creosote, palo verde, ironwood and mesquite trees, ocotillos, yuccas, and the iconic saguaro cactus. These plants are well adapted to the desert in many ways, such as having shallow roots that maximize water uptake like the saguaro, or by only growing leaves after rain like the ocotillo.
Land Acknowledgement
We are grateful to be living and working on the lands stolen from the O’odham, Tohono O’odham and Pasqua Yaqui tribes. It is a privilege to experience the Sonoran Desert, from the desert scrub lands, to the alpine forests, and we recognize that these lands have been stewarded by indigenous peoples since time immemorial.
Recommended Field Guides and Resources
More Resources:
Sonoran Desert – Sonoran Desert Region (desertmuseum.org)
Living with Wildlife – Arizona Game & Fish Department (azgfd.com)
The Sky Islands – Sky Island Alliance