20 images Created 14 Jul 2021
Sonoran Ecology
The Sonoran Desert is one of the most biologically diverse desert ecosystems in the world. Straddling the border of Mexico and the United States, it extends from Southern Arizona to the tip of Baja California.
Unique among the world’s great deserts, some 80% of its land-mass is within 100 km of the ocean. The area has some of the weirdest and most wonderful plants in North America. This biodiversity stems from two wet seasons that produce intensive flowerings that support swarms of migratory birds, bats, and insects traveling hundreds of miles across the region. Botanical highlights include cacti like the cardón, the world’s tallest cactus (the big Mexican brother of the Saguaro), the stately organ pipe, and the most contortedly beautiful Cirio. Islands in the Sea of Cortez are loaded with endemic species, and nesting sites for migratory birds. At the top of the Gulf is the environmental corpse of the Colorado Delta, where the entire flow of the river has been diverted for irrigation, leaving a trickle of brackish water to meet the 30ft tides that rake the sand flats.
George flew his motorized paraglider to get some rare aerial views of spectacular desert landscapes. For wildlife, he used remote-controlled cameras to get intimate photos of desert mountain lions, bighorn sheep, and great blue herons.
Unique among the world’s great deserts, some 80% of its land-mass is within 100 km of the ocean. The area has some of the weirdest and most wonderful plants in North America. This biodiversity stems from two wet seasons that produce intensive flowerings that support swarms of migratory birds, bats, and insects traveling hundreds of miles across the region. Botanical highlights include cacti like the cardón, the world’s tallest cactus (the big Mexican brother of the Saguaro), the stately organ pipe, and the most contortedly beautiful Cirio. Islands in the Sea of Cortez are loaded with endemic species, and nesting sites for migratory birds. At the top of the Gulf is the environmental corpse of the Colorado Delta, where the entire flow of the river has been diverted for irrigation, leaving a trickle of brackish water to meet the 30ft tides that rake the sand flats.
George flew his motorized paraglider to get some rare aerial views of spectacular desert landscapes. For wildlife, he used remote-controlled cameras to get intimate photos of desert mountain lions, bighorn sheep, and great blue herons.
