OH, BABIES!

Travelers in Arizona can see American bison at two wildlife areas managed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department - Raymond Ranch near Flagstaff and House Rock Buffalo Ranch on the Grand Canyon's North Rim. Calves are reddish-tan at birth, changing to brown or black, and adults can sprint up to 35 mph and jump 6-foot fences. They're the largest members of the cow family.

Landscape photography plays a big role in this magazine. It gets a lot of attention, and the attention is warranted - if we do say so ourselves. That said, very few photographs generate more response than images of baby lions, bunnies and bears. “Oh, they’re so adorable ... and so cute.” That’s what most people write. In this month’s portfolio, you’ll see why.

Javelina babies weigh about 1 pound at birth, but adults can range from 35 to 60 pounds. The animals, also known as collared peccaries, evolved in South America and migrated north - they're found throughout Arizona, but mostly south of the Mogollon Rim. Mothers are capable of having two litters per year, giving them the highest reproductive potential of big game in North America, according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Harris antelope squirrels live in ground burrows, and are often seen scampering among rocks in the Southwest. They're loners, for the most part, coming together mainly to mate, and they favor desert or dry scrub areas, where they use a special adaptation to withstand high temperatures.

"ALL OF THE ANIMALS EXCEPT FOR MAN KNOW THAT THE PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OF LIFE IS TO ENJOY IT." – Samuel Butler “THOSE WHO WISH TO PET AND BABY WILD ANIMALS 'LOVE' THEM. BUT THOSE WHO RESPECT THEIR NATURES AND WISH TO LET THEM LIVE NORMAL LIVES, LOVE THEM MORE.” – Edwin Way Teale

This kit fox pup was caught by the camera's flash at night (they're almost exclusively nocturnal) near Apache Junction. The animals love sandy areas and spend most of the daytime underground. Adults generally weigh less than 4.5 pounds.

The striped skunk is the largest and most common of Arizona's skunk species. Their musky secretions are an effective defense mechanism. They feed mostly at night, are highly susceptible to rabies and frequently suffer a fate of roadkill on Arizona highways.

To order a print of this photograph (right), call 866-962-1191 or visit www.arizonahighwaysprints.com.

“WE ARE THE VOICE OF WILDLIFE. THEY CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.” - Bruce McCloskey

Both male and female desert bighorn sheep grow the horns for which they're famous (thus, their name), although the females' are much smaller. Desert bighorns and Rocky Mountain bighorns number around 6,000 in Arizona. Newborns weigh about 8 to 10 pounds and are active just minutes after birth. A large desert bighorn male can weigh as much as 225 pounds; females average 110 pounds.

LEFT:

Photograph by C.K. Lorenz Arizona's grasslands were once the home of blacktailed prairie dogs like these, but they haven't been seen in the Arizona wild since 1960, according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department. They do range from Canada to Mexico, although numbers are drastically declining. This pair, and others, can be seen at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum near Tucson.

RIGHT:

Photograph by Suzanne Mathia Mule deer are the most numerous and widespread of Arizona's big-game animals. Deriving their name from their large ears, the babies are often born as twins. Deer in the wild have a lifespan of about 10 years. Coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions are their most common predators, along with human hunters.

To order a print of this photograph (left), call 866-962-1191 or visit www.arizonahighwaysprints.com.