Arizona Illustrated

Arizona Summer Special.

Remembering Baxter Black Cowboy poet Baxter Black rode bulls in high school and college. He went on to become a large animal veterinarian for ranchers and cowboys across the west. For two decades he was a regular on NPR's Morning Edition and hosted his own radio show. He's sold more than million copies of his cowboy poetry and philosophy. Baxter Black died on June 10, 2022. Aravaipa Canyon If you are a city dweller and looking to ‘get away from it all’ there is a place where water runs through thousand-foot canyon walls year round, wildlife including desert bighorn sheep and over 200 species of birds live among shady cottonwoods, and its only a couple of hours from both Tucson and Phoenix. This is the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness. Monsoon Wildlife The hot and humid monsoon sends a lot of people looking for cover and relief indoors, but it’s an ideal time for many critters to explore the outdoors. They want a mate to procreate. In this story about the Sonoran desert, we take a look at some of the animals that depend on this torrential season to breed and produce the next generation in their species.