Having lived in Tombstone, and mined throughout the remote deserts and backcountry for many years...I feel pretty well-qualified to field this one...but am by no means an expert, so if you are having problems get to an ER!

Arizona is part of the arid Sonoran Desert which extends thoughout Arizona/New Mexico/California/Mexico...and as such you can expect that everything, including plants...have developed some sort of defense mechanism to survive in this harsh landscape.

The most dangerous animal to any human in this hostile climate is the the unprepared person...any good desert guide or survival manual will give you tips on how not to die...along with much more information about beneficial and hazardous plants, and wildlife, most of which is nocturnal.

Rattlesnakes like the Western Diamondback are venomous and dangerous due to their large size, and corresponding larger venom dose...while the smaller Desert Sidewinder delivers a smaller but still painful injection.

The rare Mohave or "Mohave Green" pit viper is extrememly venomous, delivering a powerful neurotoxin, but like all snakes will not strike unless provoked or surprised.

Large non-poisonous snakes like the King are beneficial...eating rodents, birds and smaller rattlesnakes...but they do have an incredibly painful non-toxic bite.

The light tan Bark Scorpion, while one of the smallest, is also North America's most venomous and painful...it generally lives under cardboard, old wood/plants, and rocks...as their primary prey of crickets and roaches live there also. They can be easily seen at night as they phosfluoresce under an inexpensive handheld UV light.

The Arizona Giant Centipede is a regional version of the red-headed centipede...with a light tan to orangish segmented body up to 12"...and black head and rear. The bite is actually a pinch...and it is toxic and very painful.

The Gila Monster is one of only two venomous lizards in North America, but is very slow and sluggish, so it must be provoked to be bitten...and frankly if you get bitten...you probably deserve it since they are a protected species. As with all lizards, there is also the possibility of a secondary infection from salmonella, if it has been feeding on decaying remains.

There are several sub-species of toxic toads that inhabit riparian areas...and are mostly only a threat to your dog (or kids)...so if your dog comes back foaming at the mouth with no other signs of rabies...then turn a hose on their mouth immediately and get them to a vet. Tell your kids not to play with any frogs, and if they have problems, get them to the ER for poison control.

There are Black Widow spiders throughout the state...living in the wild, rural and urban areas...and the females can grow fairly large depending on food source. There are also reports of Brown Recluse spiders...although they are neither native nor widespread...but the sheer magnitude of the abcess from one bite dictates that you consider them a threat. If you see the inside of any recent bite start to turn black (necrotic)...or if you see the pinkish wound inflamation start to travel outward along your veins...get to an ER fast!

The state has seen a drastic increase in west nile...mostly because of the "greening" of the state in urban areas with numerous exposed stagnant water sources...but also due to cow tanks and watering troughs in the more rural areas. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease have both been sporadically reported from tick bites in the mountains. Chiggers are also really bad in the mountains in the spring or after a summer rain. Deet works well for all of these...mixed with Skin-So-Soft it is nearly invincible...if don't believe me, then try to find SSS near any Marine Corps base!

There is also seen a near epidemic rise in Africanized...or killer bees in the southern part of the state. While the state has a heroic detection, interdiction and eradication effort going on...I personally know someone who died in a southern town not far from here, while moving an old couch they had swarmed in, stored in an outdoor shed (the other person was hospitalized in ICU for weeks)...and there are frequent reports of attacks in Tucson and Nogales. To be safe, if you see a wild swarm, usually on a water or food source, or near an opening to a cavity...get away, keep others away, and call 911...and if a bee starts to "bounce" off you, that is your one and only warning...get yourself, others and pets away to safety in a closed car or house (unless they are coming from the house!)

Hanta virus, a form of hemmoragic fever like Ebola, comes from a source in rodent droppings, rodent bites or other immediate contact...a good rule of thumb is not to disturb rodent nests...or molest or invite the animals with food. There have been sporadic reports throughout the Sonoran Desert...originally in remote areas like the Navajo reservation...but it has also moved to urban and rural areas at over 30 cases per year in each state.

Coccidiomycosis, commonly called Valley Fever or Desert Rheumatism...is actually a fungal infection that coats the lining of the lungs after the spores were inhaled during a soil disturbance event. People who get it are mostly rockhounds, miners, archeologists, paleontologists, off-roaders, underground and civil construction workers...and it is occasionaly a localized micro-epidemic during high winds or dust storms. It is not commonly recognized or diagnosed in other areas of the country or the world, and is commonly seen as a white spot on a lung xray so the most common mis-diagnosis is lung cancer, so tell your doctor if you have just left the desert. Fatigue and panting (from lack of oxygen), sore joints, and a reddish coliform skin rash are all common early symptoms within days to weeks...hence the rheumatisim reference...and if left untreated it can progress to fatal meningitis.

Javelina, also called pecarry, look and act like wild boar...but are actually big rodents...and they usie the razor-sharp sides of their enlarged canines (tusks) to defend themselves...and their young, food sources and territory. They are not too bright, and so are unpredictable when encountered, and have become a nuisance pest due to their love of garbage.

Badgers, racoons, coatimundis and porcupines are known in the mountains...but not common in the deserts...treat them with respect and at a distance, as they can be aggressive, especially when protecting territory-food-young, or mating.

Large predators include mountain lions; black bears; two types of bobcats; coyotes; a reported but unconfirmed coyote-dog, wolf-dog or wolf-coyote mix; and the newly re-discovered Mexican Jaguar, which is extremely rare and reclusive, and previously thought to be extinct in North America.

All of them are pretty much limited to the "sky islands" or mountains...called that as each mountain range has multiple, distinctly-layered ecological zones that contain their own subspecies...most of which can't cross the harsh desert below to another range.

The coyotes live in the desert, rural and urban areas now...the bobcats, bears and puma venture down quite a bit...especially if game is scarce, or they are near a city, rural or camping area where trash and pets are easy pickings.

Like any wild area, there are sporadic reports of rabid rodents, rabbits, bats, skunks, etc...so avoid any wild or domesicated animal that isn't acting "right"...since like mad cow disease, it attacks the brain and is highly contagious.

Nuisance pests include:

Mexican Red-Legged Tarantula...a generally very docile species and a very common pet...but wild ones are protected in Arizona. If provoked, they can inject a locally painful venom...and interestingly, can "shoot" serrated micro-poisonous hairs very short distances off of their abdomen by using their back legs, or just letting them go when contacted like a porcupine. These hairs are usually just a skin irritation...unless you get them in your mucus glands (mouth, throat, lungs or nose)...and are a serious problem that requires medical treatment if they end up in your eyes!

There are also several other varieties of wolf spider, and other types of biting spiders.

Vinegaroons (wind or whip scorpions) spray small amounts of acetic acid...which is the primary smell in vinegar...hence the name.

Giant Millipedes are not poisonous but do emit a foul odor if provoked, and in rural/urban areas like to live in sewers and septic systems, so those hundreds of legs are each an incubator for disease.

Stink bugs are big pointy-talied black beetles that also emit a foul oder if provoked.

Horned toads spray blood out of the inner corner of their eye if provoked.

Lots of species of biting ants, including black army ants and red fire ants.

Wasps, hornets, bumble bees, honey bees.

Biting flys, especially big horseflies!

Hope this helps...

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