State Wildlife Action Plan

The Arizona/New Mexico Mountains ecoregion in New Mexico is comprised of nine separate mountain complexes totaling 46,870 km2 (18,097 mi2). The largest is part of an 83,000 km2 (32,047 mi2) complex that extends from western New Mexico through central Arizona. In New Mexico, elevations range from 1,300 to 3,800 m (4,300 to 12,400 ft) and terrain consists of steep mountains and some deeply dissected plateaus. Climates include desert, mid-latitude steppe, and subarctic. Mean annual temperatures range from 3 to19 oC (37 to 66 oF) depending largely upon elevation; annual precipitation averages 49 cm (19.3 in) (range: 27 to 100 cm (11- 39 in)) with half occurring from December to March as rain or snow and half occurring from July to September as summer thundershowers.