The Chino Valley Herd: A Quiet Life Under Threat

This photograph shows the Chino Valley Pronghorn herd—a species that relies on its open sightlines and unimpeded movement for survival.

Fulfilling the Need to Migrate: Unlike deer or elk, pronghorn almost never jump high fences; instead, they are designed to crawl under standard barbed-wire ranch fences.

The Impassable Barrier: An airfield security fence may be a chain-link wall that is impossible for them to navigate.

Habitat Fragmentation: The proposed development effectively bisects their home. This fragments their critical winter range, prevents them from accessing water sources, and isolates them from the genetic diversity of the main herd.

Action Plan: Protecting the Chino Pronghorn

The February 24th vote was passed without a modern, site-specific Wildlife Movement Study. Because Pronghorn are “high-fidelity” migrators—meaning they follow the exact same narrow paths for decades—the airfield fence will not just “annoy” them; it will trap them.

1. Report Your Sightings (Citizen Science)
The AZGFD uses sighting data to map critical corridors. If you see Pronghorn on or near the Perkins Ranch site, document it.

What to Record: Date, time, approximate number of animals, and their direction of travel.

Who to Contact: Email the AZGFD Region II (Flagstaff) Office at Region2@azgfd.gov or call (928) 774-5045.

The Message: “I am reporting a pronghorn sighting at [Location]. I am concerned that the proposed Perkins Ranch Airfield fence will bisect this established migration corridor.”

2. Demand “Pronghorn-Friendly” Design Standards
Arizona guidelines recommend that fences in migration zones have a smooth bottom wire at least 18 inches off the ground. However, FAA security regulations for airfields often require 8-foot chain-link fences that go all the way to the ground.

The Conflict: These two standards are incompatible.

Demand: Ask the Town Council how they plan to reconcile FAA security requirements with AZGFD wildlife-friendly fencing standards.

3. The “Missing Study” Inquiry
The Town’s General Plan designates this area as Ranch/Agricultural. A change to industrial aviation should require a state-vetted impact study.

Ask the Council: “Has the Town received a formal ‘Impact to Wildlife Movement’ letter from AZGFD specifically for the 390-acre Perkins Ranch rezoning? If not, why was the vote held?”

The Great Wall of Chino: Blocking the Pronghorn
Chino Valley is home to one of Arizona’s most iconic pronghorn herds. For generations, these “speed goats” have used the open grasslands of the Big Chino Valley as a critical migration corridor. The approved airfield doesn’t just bring noise; it brings a permanent barrier to their survival.

Why an Airfield Fence is a Death Sentence
Unlike a standard 3-strand ranch fence, an FAA-regulated airfield fence is designed to be impenetrable.

The Barrier: A 5,000-foot runway requires miles of high-security chain-link fencing to keep wildlife off the landing strip.

Phase 2–4 Impact: As the project expands into an industrial business park, the total fenced acreage will grow, effectively cutting the Chino Valley migration corridor in half.

The Corridor Conflict: According to the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD), the Perkins Ranch area sits directly within a known movement zone. Blocking this path forces the herd toward the highway (SR 89), significantly increasing the risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions.

Action Steps for Wildlife Protection
Demand a Wildlife Study: The town approved this project without a current, comprehensive AGFD-certified wildlife movement study. Email the “Yes” voters and demand one.

Referendum Petition: The only way to stop the fence is to stop the project. 

“Pronghorn are the species most impacted by habitat fragmentation due to unsuitably designed or placed fences.” — Arizona Game and Fish Department, Guidelines for Wildlife Friendly Fencing

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