Why do people come to Arizona?  Many people believe that they come for activities like spring training games, relaxing poolside at a resort, or to play golf.  However, studies have shown that bird watching has a greater economic impact, and more people come to Arizona, for bird watching than golf and other major tourist activities. 

From tiny hummingbirds to giant condors, Arizona is home to over 500 species of birds. According to the 
Audubon society, Arizona has 30 of the top bird habits in the country.  More than 350,000 people come to Arizona each year for bird watching and it’s estimated that they have a $1 billion dollar economic impact in the state.

The Barrel Cactus sometimes goes by the name “Compass Cactus” because they usually lean in a southerly direction.  They actually grow slower on the side that faces the sun causing the plant to tip slightly towards the south.

Although they are typically short, topping out at 2 to 4 feet, the can reach heights of over 10 feet.  Like most cacti, these are slow growing plants and may only be 3 inches tall when they are 4 years old.  They can live for more than 100 years. 

These hardy plants can survive long periods of drought using the water stored within them. According to “The Great Southwest Nature Factbook” one barrel cactus, which had been removed from the ground, was able to survive 6 years, using only the water stored inside it.

Can you use the water in these cacti as an emergency water source?  Experts say no.  The fluid in most cacti contains bitter alkaloids and other chemicals.  These can cause you to vomit or have diarrhea, neither of which you want to do if you are already dehydrated.

“Wilbur the Wildcat,” the mascot for the University of Arizona’s sports teams made his first appearance in November 1959 during a U of A vs.. Texas game.  Wilbur’s was originally designed to look like a cowboy, wearing a cowboy hat, holster and carrying two guns. In recent years he lost some of the the cowboy image and guns were removed.

Arizona State’s Mascot “Sparky” first appeared in 1948. Sparky was designed by a former Walt Disney illustrator.  According to some sources, Sparky’s face was drawn to resemble Walt Disney, who had fired the illustrator.

One of the more popular “Mexican” foods is the chimichanga.   The chimichanga, or chimi, is like a deep fried burrito. Probably not the healthiest food item, but very tasty.  However, the chimichanga is not from Mexico, it is an Arizona original.  Chimi historians seems to agree that it was invented by a Tucson restaurant decades ago.  Which restaurant it was is unclear.  Several Tucson restaurant have claimed that they came up with the original chimichanga. 

One of Tucson’s first restaurants open in 1870 and was known as the “Shoo Fly Restaurant” It was named this because the restaurant was plagues by flies, which constantly buzzed around the diners.  To keep the flies at bay, two boys were paid to walk around the establishment, swatting as many as they could. 

The food must have been fairly good, for despite the fly problem, the restaurant was reported to have been fairly popular.

Tarantulas are the Arizona’s largest spiders.  Although their bite can be painful, it is not life-threatening. Female tarantulas can grow up to 4 inches across. Males are considerably smaller.  What may surprise you is their longevity.  Female tarantulas can live for 20 years or more.

Accidents are the cause of 28% of childhood (< 14 years old) fatalities in the state. Motor Vehicle are the cause of 45% of these accidents and drowning 31% of accidents.

After accidents, cancer is another leading cause of childhood deaths, causing about 14% of them. Other leading causes of childhood fatalities are assault/homicide 5%,  suicide 4%.

“Dust Devil” is the common name for the tornado like plumes of dust you often see spinning in the Arizona deserts on hot days.  Typically the wind speed in these little twisters is only about 25 mph. The worst damage they do is to spread dust and trash along their path.  Occasionally they can pack quite a wallop. The wind speed in some dust devils has been measure at 100mph and they have been reported to have torn the roofs off of buildings.

Florida calls itself the Sunshine State, but that honor really belongs to Arizona.  Of the US cities with the most sunny days, Yuma and Phoenix, Arizona are numbers 1 and 2.  On the average, Yuma enjoys 242 sunny days each and Phoenix has 211. Tucson, Arizona is number 7 with 193 sunny days in a typical year. Even Flagstaff, Arizona, located in the cool mountain pines is in the top 30. The first time a Florida city makes the list is Apachicola, which ranks 52nd.

As of this month, approximately 136,000 Arizonans have been issued a permit allowing them to carry a concealed weapon. This is about 2% of the state’s adult population.   Almost one quarter of these permit holders are women.

To obtain a permit you must be at least 21 years of age, pass a criminal background check, and meet several other requirement. Before you can apply for a permit you must take an eight hour class, pass a written test, and demonstrate shooting ability on a range.

Permit holders cannot carry a concealed weapon everywhere.  For example, they cannot carry on school grounds, certain federal building, near nuclear power plants, etc. Weapons cannot be carried in any establishment that serves alcohol.  However, this law will change in September 2009.  Also, any business or private person can prohibit someone from carrying a weapon (concealed or otherwise) on their property by posting a sign or asking the carrier to remove it.

Carrying a concealed weapon without a permit is a serious crime in Arizona. 

Additional information on concealed weapons in Arizona can be found here:

http://ccw.azdps.gov/