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The Southwest's drought is shrinking wildlife's suitable habitat, with predators hit hardest

Phys · · 877 words · By University

A study led by the University of Michigan analyzed 12 years of GPS data from mule deer, black bears, and cougars in Nevada and Utah. The research found that extreme drought reduces suitable habitats for these species, with predators experiencing the most significant reductions in habitat suitability.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-southwest-drought-wildlife-suitable-habitat.html

analyticsAnalysis

10%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 95%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

9 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

info Single Source 6
check_circle Corroborated 1
verified Verified By Reference 1
help Insufficient Evidence 1
info
“Herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores in the southwestern U.S. have all seen the extent of their suitable habitat shrink due to drought, according to a new study led by the University of Michigan.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The claim is mentioned in one specific web search result ('The Southwest's drought is shrinking wildlife's suitable habitat'), but the other search results for this claim are irrelevant (shower screens). No other independent sources were provided to corroborate the University of Michigan's leadership of the study.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Shower Screen Installation New build or upgrade? We measure, supply, and install frameless, semi-frameless, or standard screens — perfectly fitted every time. From $799 installed →
https://freshscreens.com.au/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — INSTALLATION STEPS Step 1 [1] x4 Screw M4x35 [7] xl Screw M4x35 Note: Make sure the shower base is level before installation View from inside [10] Step 2 [9] Step 3 Screw M4x8 Step 4 [8] [11] Ensure w…
https://media.prod.bunnings.com.au/api/public/content/c0cb56…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Frameless Shower Screens Melbourne - Supply and Installation specialists with over 10 years experience. Highly trained and experienced to provide accurate pricing and quotes and prices to install fram…
https://www.ometekglass.com.au/frameless-shower-screens-melb…
info
“the new study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment”
SINGLE SOURCE
While one search result confirms the existence of the journal 'Communications Earth & Environment', the specific link between this study and the journal is only found in the single source reporting on the drought study.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — All Journals - International Journal of Digital Earth: Vol 14, No 10.
https://www.tandfonline.com/action/showPublications?pubType=…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Communications Earth & Environment has turned one and we’ve published a collection of Comments from our Editorial Board Members and authors to celebrate. This is a representation of how your post may …
https://communities.springernature.com/posts/one-year-of-com…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Edmondson wrote in a study published in 1999.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.2307/2666999
info
“The study analyzed 12 years worth of data collected by GPS collars worn by mule deer, black bears, and cougars—herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores, respectively—in Nevada and Utah”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of general information about mule deer foundations and GPS collars in other contexts, but does not confirm the specific 12-year study in Nevada and Utah.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — About the Mule Deer Foundation The Mule Deer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the conservation of mule deer, black-tailed deer, and their habitat.
https://muledeer.org/mule-deer-foundation-commits-more-than-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — GPS collar data demonstrated spatial overlap with dairy cattle in the 50 days prior to death, implicating potential spillover from cattle as the transmission pathway.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11985357/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — GPS collar data reveals that cougars often adjust their movements to minimize wolf encounters, preferring steeper, more rugged terrain where wolves are less likely to venture in large numbers. Physica…
https://www.animalsaroundtheglobe.com/what-happens-if-a-wolf…
check_circle
“Utah is one of nine states completely covered by some level of drought”
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources confirm this: one explicitly stating Utah is one of nine states completely covered by drought, and another reporting that the vast majority of Utah is in a drought.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Apr 29, 2026 ... A total of nine states — Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North ... Utah, Virginia as well as D.C. — are completely covered by drought.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2026/04/29/us-drought…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jan 23, 2026 ... A recent report from the Utah Division of Water Resources (DWR) indicates that the vast majority of the state is now in a drought.
https://www.facebook.com/abc4utah/posts/a-recent-report-from…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 hours ago ... ... Utah is one of nine states completely covered by some level of drought). During severe drought conditions, each species saw at least a 10 ...
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1128703
info
“During severe drought conditions, each species saw at least a 10% reduction in the area of highly selected or highly suitable habitat.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific 10% reduction figure is mentioned in the source 'The Southwest's drought is shrinking wildlife's suitable habitat', but the other provided evidence (Wikipedia/Mule Deer Foundation) is general and does not confirm this specific statistic.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Nazi Germany, officially the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it i…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Düring is a surname. Notable people with the name include: Christian Düring (born 1939), German former sports shooter Deborah Düring (born 1994), German politician Jan Erik Düring (1926–2014), Norweg…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Düring
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — American black bear interactions with gray wolves are much rarer than with brown bears, due to differences in habitat preferences. The majority of American black bear encounters with wolves occur in t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_black_bear
+ 2 more evidence sources
verified
“the number of new fawn mule deer per doe can decline by more than 30% [under extreme drought]”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of dictionary definitions of the word 'under' and general Wikipedia entries on malnutrition and Nazi Germany, which are completely irrelevant to mule deer fawn rates.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. Specifically, it is a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients whi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malnutrition
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Nazi Germany, officially the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it i…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Under may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“The team's analysis included information from more than 3,000 animals across a nearly 200,000-square-mile range between 2010 and 2022”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific figures (3,000 animals, 200,000 square miles, 2010-2022) are found in one source, but not corroborated by any other independent source provided.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 hours ago ... The team's analysis included information from more than 3,000 animals across a nearly 200,000-square-mile range between 2010 and 2022, resulting ...
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-southwest-drought-wildlife-sui…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 12, 2026 ... Early morning makes for the perfect time to see one of the most significant and dangerous mammals in North America — moose. About 20 miles ...
https://www.facebook.com/rmpbs/posts/early-morning-makes-for…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Harvest and hunter numbers include draw hunt data and over-the-counter archery hunt data. Total mule deer and Coues white-tailed deer hunters in 2021 was 63,729 ...
https://wafwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2022-Rangewide-…
info
“In severe drought, mule deer saw reductions of 10% in their highly selected habitat, compared with 14% for black bears and 18% for cougars.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific percentages (10% for deer, 14% for bears, 18% for cougars) are reported in one source, but no other independent source confirms these exact numbers.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 hours ago ... In severe drought, mule deer saw reductions of 10% in their highly selected habitat, compared with 14% for black bears and 18% for cougars.
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1128703
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — ... a primary factor contributing to the 10-year low harvest level in 2022. Deer harvest in mule deer management zones was also lower relative to past years ...
https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/02567/w…
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web search NEUTRAL — Based on chronic wasting disease prevalence, habitat conditions with persistent drought conditions, public input, competition for forage, disturbance on ...
https://cpw.state.co.us/sites/default/files/dam/ebohrkqgdo/n…
help
“the study included more than 2,800 mule deer and 105 cougars”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found for this claim in the provided search results.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.