Browse our nature archive.

Cliff Chipmunk

Known for their agility, cliff chipmunks (Tamias dorsalis) live along cliff walls and rocky outcroppings in Arizona’s mountainous regions. These members of the…

Turkey Vultures

When you have car trouble on a remote roadside, the sight of a circling turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) can make for a lonely feeling, so it might be surprising to…

Gray Fox

In terms of size, gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) fall in the middle of the three fox species that inhabit Arizona — they’re bigger than kit foxes, but…

Zebra-Tailed Lizard

Zebra-tailed lizards (Callisaurus draconoides) are flashy sprinters with dazzling stripes and fearless attitudes to match. Commonly found in scrub communities in…

Elk

Elk (Cervus canadensis) are commonly seen in Northern Arizona’s subalpine zones, ponderosa pine forests and piñon-juniper forests, where they dine primarily on…

Striped Skunk

Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) are members of the mephitid family, a group that also includes the stink badgers of Southeast Asia. In Arizona, these skunks can…

Lichen

“There are five species of lichen in this image,” says photographer Bruce D. Taubert of his photo, which was made near Canyon Lake in Central Arizona. “Unfortunately,…

Garter Snake

Garter snakes are semi-aquatic and are found near or swimming through bodies of water throughout Central and Southern Arizona, according to the  Arizona-Sonora Desert…

Damselfly

Although damselflies are commonly mistaken for dragonflies, these insects are smaller and slimmer. Most damselfly species, including the arroyo bluet (Enallagma…