Among the larger mammals in the monument are two species of deer. The MULE DEER subsists in winter on cactus fruits, ephemerals, and other desert vegetation. In summer they find abundant browse in the higher oak woodland. The forested areas along the crest of the Rincons support a population of the smaller WHITETAIL DEER. These graceful animals browse on aspen, buckbrush, and other shrubs and small trees. They are particularly fond of acorns. When snow flies some descend to the protective cover of the oak-pine woodlands and chaparral.
PECCARIES, characteristic of southwestern deserts, usually travel in herds of from three to as many as 50 animals. They wander through the groves of mesquite along desert washes, and root among beds of pricklypear. Pricklypear pads are their chief food; they are said to feed upon cactus fruits in summer and autumn. In addition to the moisture obtained from succulent stems and fruits, peccaries require considerable water, hence they frequent springs and seeps. Small bands of these animals occasionally visit the waterhole near the visitor center, where they are excitedly watched by visitors fortunate enough to be in the lobby at the time.
Saguaro National Monument also has a large number of predatory animals. Many of these, popularly believed to be exclusively meat-eaters, actually also eat much vegetable matter. The predators—an exciting part of the monument’s fauna—play an important role in preventing overpopulation of the prolific rodents.
Chief among predators is the COYOTE, which ranges throughout the monument. In winter, coyotes are found principally below 6,000 feet, where hunting is easier and where rodents remain longer out of hibernation. They are also known to roam the forested heights of the Rincons and Tanque Verde Ridge. Studies of coyotes in the monument made by biologist Lowell Sumner in January 1951 showed that their winter diet consisted of about 78 percent fruits and seeds, 11 percent small rodents, 7 percent deer, 4 percent birds, reptiles, insects, and carrion, and 1 percent debris. The coyote is one of the principal wild creatures associated with the history of the West, and its continuing presence in the monument brings a thrill of pleasure to visitors who hear the voices of the pack during the calm of evening, or catch a glimpse of one of these gray canines trotting through open stands of saguaros. BOBCATS, ranging over much the same territory as coyotes, subsist principally on rodents, birds, and insects. Because of their secretive habits, they are seldom seen.
Collared peccary, or javelina.
The GRAY FOX is another fairly common inhabitant of the cactus desert and higher brushlands, and is also known to roam the forested uplands. It is usually seen at night. Rodents are its principal source of food, but it also preys on birds and reptiles and eats much vegetable matter. The smaller and rather rare KIT FOX, restricted mostly to the desert, is also a night hunter. Kangaroo rats are a favorite item in the kit fox diet, but these small predators also eat grasshoppers and other insects.
Skunks, members of the weasel family, are relatively common in the monument, and several species inhabit areas where water is available. They are usually active at night. The HOGNOSE SKUNK is a desert dweller recognizable by its solid-white back. It roots for insect larvae and eats cactus fruits, bird eggs, and nestlings. The STRIPED SKUNK ranges throughout the monument; the SPOTTED SKUNK is found at all elevations, usually among rocks. Insects, rodents, and fruits are its main food.
Another member of the weasel family, the BADGER, is occasionally seen in the desert although it is by no means limited to that habitat. The badger feeds mainly on rodents, which it digs from burrows with its strong forelegs and heavy claws.
The RACCOON, longer-legged than the badger, is readily recognized by its gray fur, black mask, and ambling gait. It inhabits brushy canyons having permanent water, and sometimes wanders up into the pine belt in summer. Amphibians, scarce as they are, and other water creatures are among the preferred foods of raccoons; but they also eat small rodents and plant food, including berries, acorns, and other fruits.