Media

Wild About Arizona

The official podcast of the Arizona Game and Fish Department

Arizona provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in the nation, with more than 800 animal species and 50 million public acres of natural land to explore. But what if you’re not sure where to go or what to look for? On this episode of Wild About Arizona, Jeff Meyers and Cheyenne Dubiach of our wildlife viewing program sit down to give us some advice, knowledge and talk about various wildlife viewing opportunities you can take part in.

In 1976, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Mexican wolf as an endangered species. The Arizona Game and Fish Department has been actively involved in reintroducing Mexican wolves to portions of their historical range since before the first release of wolves in 1998. On this episode of Wild About Arizona we welcome Jim Heffelfinger, Arizona Game and Fish Wildlife Science Coordinator

Out with their second edition, Authors Andrew Holycross, Thomas Brennan and Randall Babb have published “A Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles in Arizona,” we discuss this informative book with two of the three authors and learn what it took to create this field guide and how it can benefit the average to the experienced in the field.

Arizona is full of diverse fishing opportunities, from the large reservoirs to the trout lakes in the mountains, low-elevation fishing holes and five major rivers. We welcome Andy Clark, Statewide Sportfish Program Manager to discuss all the ways you can fish in Arizona and have fun while doing it.

Volunteers play a critical role in the Arizona Game and Fish Department mission to conserve and protect the state’s more than 800 species of wildlife. Annually volunteers donate over 100,000 hours to support Arizona’s wildlife and wild places. On this episode Arizona Game and Fish Volunteer Coordinator, Beth Keune joins us to discuss our diverse volunteers and how they support events, projects, programs, shooting ranges and regional offices.

Volunteer at the Arizona Game and Fish Department by
visiting our Volunteer Page, or email: volunteer@azgfd.gov

This will be the 122nd year for the Christmas Bird Count, a winter bird population survey that has been coordinated annually by the National Audubon Society for over a century.

We chat with biologist Chrissy Kondrat about this fun and important event, which is the oldest ongoing citizen-science endeavor.

The data collected will be added to an extensive database that enables monitoring of winter bird populations across North America and helps in assessing the overall health of the environment.

The Heritage Fund: Providing up to $10 million each year from Arizona lottery proceeds to the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The Heritage Fund and AZGFD’s partnership with the Arizona Lottery is an important and successful union helping conserve and protect Arizona wildlife.

We welcome Arizona Lottery Director Gregg Edgar to discuss the 40th anniversary of the Arizona Lottery and their 32nd year of partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department to help Conserve and Protect Arizona’s wildlife.

You can learn more about the Heritage Fund and our partnership with the Arizona Lottery.

Ever wondered how wildlife in Arizona safely crosses the road, It’s not just by chance. Thanks to wildlife crossings located throughout the state, both wildlife and motorists in Arizona are kept safe. if you’ve traveled across Arizona you’ve probably driven under, over or even through one and didn’t even know it. Join us as we welcome Jeff Gagnon, AZGFD statewide connectivity biologist on the importance of wildlife crossings in Arizona.

Our newest podcast is called “Send Water!”

With 13 species of rattlesnake, Arizona is home to more species of the reptile than any other state. From common myths and misconceptions to interesting facts you probably never knew, we sit down with Tom Jones, Amphibians and Reptiles Program Manager for the Arizona Game and Fish Department and dive into the world of the Arizona rattlesnake.

Arizona is home to 128 lakes and five major rivers, on this episode of Wild About Arizona we discuss the amazing boating opportunities the Grand Canyon state has to offer. From paddlesports and powerboats to staying safe on the water, we break it all down with Josh Hoffman, Boating Safety Education Coordinator at the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Today we explore how teachers, parents and students can learn about Arizona wildlife from a virtual or at-home environment. Eric Proctor, Wildlife Education Coordinator with the Arizona Game and Fish Department walks us through our education programs and teaches us a thing or two along the way.

On this episode of Wild About Arizona, we explore the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, one of the largest publicly operated ranges in the country. Founded in 1957, the range sits on 1,650 acres in north Phoenix, directly behind Arizona Game and Fish Department headquarters. It averages more than 120,000 shooters per year. From outdoor archery to rifle/pistol and the clay target shotgun center, range manager Christopher Dean and range master Carl Cowgill take us through it all.

On this episode of Wild About Arizona, we dive into the world of social media at the Arizona Game and Fish Department. A full-time gig for our social media specialist Amy Gleich, we discuss some of the ways we engage with people on our social media platforms and how they can engage with the department, as well as some of the incredible photos and stories we’ve been able to share with people around Arizona and the globe.

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On this episode of Wild About Arizona, we sit down with Stacey Sekscienski, wildlife conservation education center manager at AZGFD, and learn about the department’s desert tortoise adoption program. Nothing at a slow pace here! Learn how to build a burrow for your desert tortoise, how to adopt one, what to do if you encounter one in the wild, and what species call Arizona home.

Learn more about Desert Tortoise Adoption on the Arizona Game and Fish Department website.

On this episode of Wild About Arizona, we discuss the watchable wildlife program with Jeff Meyers, the watchable wildlife manager at the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Arizona is home to more wild species than any other inland state, and viewing that wildlife can be anything from a hobby to a profession. We discuss some of the most-viewed Arizona wildlife, wildlife viewing cameras and some of the best places to catch a glimpse.

Learn more about wildlife watching in Arizona on the Arizona Game and Fish Department website.