Crews deliver over 100,000 gallons of water to Arizona wildlife amid heat wave

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — Within the last four weeks, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has delivered more than 100,000 gallons of water to animals in remote areas across the state. “We’ve placed water catchments that collect rainwater throughout the Arizona desert and even in the forest for these animals,” said Joseph Currie, the habitat planning program manager for Game and Fish.

AZGFD monitors more than 3,000 catchments. So, when there’s little rainfall, they make trips out to deliver water themselves. “Typically, on any given year, we haul at the very minimum four hundred thousand gallons,” Currie said. Most deliveries are made by water trucks, but some places are so remote they have to use a helicopter. “I have some catchments that only take a couple of hours to get that water hauled because they’re on such good roads. Where we have other ones where it literally takes you all day long,” Currie said.

Liberty Wildlife sees about 10,000 animals per year but says it’s already treated around 8,000 this year, partly because of how hot it’s been.

Just one trip with the helicopter can cost upwards of $10,000. But despite some sticker shock, Currie said these trips are crucial to helping our wildlife survive. “If we were to not do this, we would see severe reductions in the population of all the animals out there,” he said.

Because these trips can be so costly and Game and Fish don’t receive general funding, they ask people for their help by donating or volunteering. More information can be found HERE.

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