Arizona
Endangered red squirrels: 233 of the Arizona animals counted
PHOENIX — Animal lovers now have a new piece of good news to go nuts over: a population of endangered red squirrels unique to Arizona is growing slightly.
Wildlife officials found there are 233 Mount Graham red squirrels, which can only be found in the Pinaleño Mountains of southeastern Arizona.
These numbers reflect a sharp boost from the population of 144 squirrels in last year’s survey from the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), Coronado National Forest, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
Holly Hicks, AZGFD’s small mammal project coordinator, said this year’s bigger number was a pleasant surprise for all involved.
“We all knew that we were seeing a lot of squirrels and middens during this last survey,” Hicks said in a Thursday news release. “But I don’t think any of us expected such a dramatic increase.”
Endangered red squirrels unique to Arizona bouncing back
This increase is a hopeful sign for conservation efforts, as the species has been struggling for decades.
In the late 1990s, there were around 550 Mount Graham red squirrels, but the 2017 Frye Fire destroyed much of their habitat.
At one point, the animal’s population collapsed to around 35.
Some of the top threats they face are insect infestations, poor pine cone drops due to Arizona’s drought, wildfires and competition with non-native squirrels.
Marit Alanen, the lead Mount Graham squirrel biologist for the FWS, said the latest annual interagency population survey is exciting news.
“We were all extremely concerned for the subspecies after the 2017 Frye Fire caused the squirrel’s population to drop drastically,” Alanen said in the release. “So seeing a number now over 200 is really fantastic news.”
Finding out population of endangered red squirrels populations rose
The partnering agencies who survey the endangered squirrel come to their findings by systematically searching for active middens. That word refers to a large pile of shredded pine cones and nut debris red squirrels create to store their food.
Surveyors can tell a midden is active if there are signs of feeding. Each red squirrel typically has its own midden, so the wildlife officials use these middens to estimate the amount of squirrels are in the survey plots.
Coronado National Forest Supervisor Kervin Dewberry attributed the rising population to a shift in land management practices.
“This survey process allows us to obtain a more accurate picture of the population numbers,” Dewberry said in the release. “We are excited to see that current land management practices being implemented in the Pinaleño mountain range are proving to be beneficial for the Mount Graham red squirrel population.”
PAGE, AZ (AZFamily) — A person accused of making terroristic threats toward a northern Arizona medical facility was arrested Friday morning.
Just after 10:30 p.m., police received a report of a person calling the facility and threatening to kill staff and Native Americans, according to the Page Police Department.
Authorities said staff placed the facility on lockdown until officers identified the suspect and arrested them outside their home.
The suspect was booked on charges of disorderly conduct, threatening and intimidating, and making terroristic threats. Police have not publicly identified the person.
“The Page Police Department is grateful for and supports the medical staff’s decision to put the medical facility into lockdown until the suspect was arrested and the situation was rendered safe,” the department said in a Facebook post.
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In these four-round projections, the Arizona Cardinals don’t get a tackle until the fourth round.
We are just days away from the 2026 NFL draft, and that means some final mock drafts. What direction will the draft take the Arizona Cardinals?
Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy put together a four-round mock draft for the Cardinals. They go defense early but rebuild the offense for 2026 and moving forward, including landing their potential franchise quarterback.
Cardinals 4-round mock draft
Here are the players in the first four rounds Popejoy projects for Arizona.
- Round 1: Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese
- Round 2: Alabama QB Ty Simpson
- Round 3: Clemson WR Antonio Williams
- Round 4: Florida OT Austin Barber
What we think of the picks
The Cardinals want to trade out of the third pick and draft a tackle, so not getting a tackle until Round 4 seems unlikely, although they did meet with Barber. They do have options at right tackle for 2026 already on the roster.
Reese would be a great pick if they don’t trade back, as they badly need pass-rushing help off the edge.
Drafting Simpson seems inevitable at this point, so it has to be in a mock draft, although the feeling is they will need to go up into Round 1 again to get him.
Williams has speed and is almost six feet tall, but he does have short arms.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Due to significant injuries to the CB position last year which includes a shoulder surgery for Terrion Arnold, the Lions CB position scored a 6/10 need on my Lions Defensive Draft Need Rankings. Thus, an early-round selection of a young, healthy prospect like Keith Abney would not come as a surprise. He enters the draft with very low medical concern level.
Here is the excerpt from my medical report on Keith Abney:
(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information are unverified and subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)
Keith Abney, CB (21) – Arizona State
Projected round 2-3. #43 on Jeff Risdon board Feb 19.
Concern level 0/10
There is an isolated report of a hand injury but no corroborating information. Even if the hand injury is true, that’s of minimal to no long-term concern.
His availability in his final two seasons has been perfect. Overall, Abney appears to be medically clean and is at an excellent age.
He finished college with 6 INT and 21 PBU.
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD
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