sound It is a mainly desert entity, due to its large size and its varied ecosystems, they bring with them an important biodiversitycounting on recognized endemic species on the 179,355 km² of its territory.

These species, mainly fauna, have adapted to a variety of habitats and climatic conditions characteristic of the region, although some of them have been threatened due to human interference in the environmental balance.

Alberto Macías Duarte, professor-researcher at the State University of Sonora (UES), explained that an endemic species is one that is circumscribed to a specific territoryso they are not found in other parts of the world.

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Due to their geographical location, in some cases, unique sonoran animals cross the boundaries that humanity has demarcated over the years, such as the mexican wolf.

This species is mainly found in forested mountainous areas as well as some desert parts of the region. It is a subspecies of the gray wolfof the kind Canis Lupus Baileyi. It has abundant fur on its back and shoulders, large ears, a slender body, long legs and a narrow muzzle, measuring up to 1.8 meters in length and up to 80 centimeters in height.

Another of the most recognized endemic species is the desert tortoise That is Gopherus Morafkaican have a long life, between 80 and 150 years, approximately, in addition, has the ability to survive desert droughts thanks to the ability to self-regulate its temperature; It has a dark brown shell with an orange or yellow center, as well as a particularly thick skin.

The Prairie dog is another endemic animal widely recognized for its appearance and the way it burrows into the ground, this mammal, of the genus Cynomysis a relative of Marmotand even, inhabits some desert regions of Sonora; It has small eyes and ears, in addition to having a short body, since it can measure between 30 and 40 centimeters in length and weigh up to 1.5 kilograms.

At risk ?

For Alberto Macias Duarte, a consequence of endemism is that species of this type are often more susceptible to extinction compared to those that are not, coupled with the fact that many endemic species have shown a recurrent pattern in terms of small range.

“This has the challenge that a large part of the biological diversity of the countries is threatened, because the endemic species are adapted to very particular conditions that it is sometimes even difficult for us to identify them. They are therefore a mystery in general, but it is a challenge for humanity to conserve endemic species, because human impact affects them more than those with a wide distribution,” he stressed.

One of the endemic species that have been most affected by human impact are the vaquita porpoisesone of the smallest cetaceans in the animal kingdom, with a maximum length of 1.5 meters and weighing up to 50 kilograms.

Its scientific name is Phocoena Sinus, but they also call it “cochito”. They have a triangular dorsal fin, a round head, and flattened shovel-like teeth; They usually travel in groups of up to four individuals in the waters of the upper Gulf of California.

Also, this species It has been in danger of extinction for decades.due to its low reproductive rate, fishing activity and accidental capture, multiple conservation actions had to be carried out, such as the creation of the Vaquita Refuge Area for its protection and the Protection Program in the refuge area.

Sonoran desert bighorn sheep It is also another endemic species that is listed as “subject to special protection” by the official Mexican standard NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 for its preservation.

It is Canadian Mexican Oviswhich is its scientific name, one of the most representative of the entity, since it is found mainly in the mountainous regions of Sonora.

Its coiled antlers are one of its main features and for which it has also been threatened due to overhunting.

In this regard, the ecologist Alberto Macías Duarte added that certain historical aspects of Sonora have also affected the environmental balance of the local flora and fauna, since at the beginning of the Spanish colonization there was also an overgrazing of the land for domestic livestock, which has had an impact on ecosystems, in addition to the introduction of invasive species such as buffalo grass to feed livestock.

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“Many grasslands, both in Sonora and other areas, are disappearing due to the invasion of shrubby species, in one of the causes attributed to the disappearance of grasslands; so this has been a game changer in northern Mexico, apparently it’s not that obvious but the animal loads on the effects have widespread and long lasting effects.

Consequently, Humanity’s impact on ecosystems has been an important factor in the deterioration of the environmental balance, endangering many endemic species, coupled with climate change, where Sonora is expected to become a more arid place over time, that is, with less rain and higher temperatures high.

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