Arizona Illustrated

Longfin Dace Minnow: After the successful reintroduction of the gila topminnow in 2020, the longfin dace is being reintroduced in Tucson’ s Santa Cruz River. The longfin dace is considered by US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as a “Species of Concern,” although it isn’t endangered yet. The longfin dace was, historically, a very abundant fish in the Santa Cruz River. Thanks to the efforts of Pima County, Arizona Game and Fish, and the Santa Cruz Heritage Project, this will be the first time the longfin dace will swim in the waters of downtown Tucson in 110 years. Stories in the Sand: We join an archeological expedition to one of the most remote places in North America. In the Sonoran desert, the team discovers artifacts over 10,000 years old revealing evidence of humans and now extinct megafauna like mammoth coexisting. The trip is a collaboration between scientists from the National Institute of Archeology and History in Sonora, Mexico and the Desert Laboratory in Tucson, Arizona. A cinematic meditation on archeology and filmmaking by producer David Fenster. For the Birds: Bisbee resident and author Ken Lamberton started paying closer attention to his surroundings when the pandemic began in 2020. He began taking photos of the birds that came to his property and it led to a new chapter in his life with a bright collection now, and a growing social media presence. He's blogging about his experiences in The Big Yard: Birdwatching in a Time of Quarantine.