During the fall, there are many animals that roam Greenlee and Graham counties that run into trouble.

Heidi Blasius, who has worked as a fisheries biologist for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for one year and the Arizona Game and Fish Department in Tucson for six years, said she came across an injured turtle at Dry Canyon, which is a popular fishing area in the Gila River Corridor.

Blasius found the distressed turtle while fish sampling in the Gila River, which is the turtle's natural habitat. She spotted trouble while showing her co-workers the native Sonoran mud turtle as she was walking back to her vehicle in early September.

Blasius noticed a fish line hanging from the turtle. She thought it was caught in its hood or shell and was going to remove it.

Unfortunately, the hook, lodged in the turtle's mouth, could not be removed.

"I figured he had swallowed the hook," Blasius said. "We transported him back to Safford."

She said a BLM volunteer transported the turtle to the Tucson Wildlife Center, which is a rehabilitation facility. The turtle was taken to a veterinarian who specializes in reptiles and amphibians.

Blasius said the veterinarians removed the hook from the turtle's abdomen. The hook caused the turtle to have an abscess in its abdomen. The hook was removed through the neck and saved the creature's life.

The surgeon used an endoscope, which is a little camera that photographed the insides of the turtle to find the root of the problem.

"If the turtle had not had the hook removed," Blasius said, "it would have eventually died."

Lisa Bates, who works for the Tucson Wildlife Center, said the turtle received attention from Dr. Michael Samuels with the Central Animal Hospital.

Bates said the hook had probably been lodged for 10 days, and the turtle had a "rough time" with the surgery.

It received antibiotics for 10 days and was kept in an oxygenated incubator to help the recovery process.

"It was really touch-and-go," Blasius said. "They did not think the turtle would survive the surgery, let alone recover after having the surgery."

Blausius said the Gila Box is one of the jewels of Greenlee and Graham counties. Generally, the community takes great care to keep the area pristine, but occasionally people vandalize or leave garbage in the enclave.

The BLM puts garbage receptacles where people recreate, fish and swim. Despite the garbage cans, large amounts of litter destroy nature's habitat.

Blasius said people throw litter on the ground even when the garbage pails are three feet away. Soda cans, beer bottles, bait buckets, worm receptacles, sandwich and chip bags are the types of litter found regularly at the site.

Blasius said she recently found an overturned garbage can in the river, and it did not get there on its own.

"It took some people to move it and put into the river," she said. "They actually had to move it. I don't understand that.

"The garbage can was turned upside down, and whatever was in it ended up in the river.

Blasius said she could not remove it because the water in the can made that impossible. She speculated the can eventually traversed the river.

She said food, drink and bait are often piled by the river bank. Cars and trucks also trespass in off-limit areas and damage vegetation along the Gila River.

Two park rangers work five days a week in the Gila Box. They pick up garbage, maintain the restrooms, assist the public, answer questions and maintain trails.

The BLM also employs two law-enforcement officers who patrol the Gila Box and the surrounding areas.

When people are vandalizing or littering the grounds, there are limited resources to handle those problems.

BLM officers and park rangers warn people not to litter before citing them. They provide positive information so people can enjoy the facilities.

Larry Ramirez, a BLM officer for two years, said ticketing individuals for actions such as vandalism, litter or driving vehicles in unauthorized areas depends on the circumstances that lead to the offense.

Sometimes he does not write a citation, choosing to issue a warning first.

"We try to use the education method," he said.

Blasius added, "We just want them to do it in a legal manner, in a way that makes it enjoyable for other people who are out there visiting."

Ramirez said fines range from $100 to $250 when a citation is issued to a person who is caught damaging the environment.

If a vehicle damages off-road trails in a manner that disturbs the soil of wildlife habitat or cultural or vegetative resources -- $250.

Vehicle operation in portions of recreational sites opposed to such use -- $100.

Operation of off-road vehicles prohibited in areas closed to off-road vehicles -- $100.

Ramirez said there are several signs that specifically state vehicles cannot go in certain areas.

Despite the continued littering, he said the situation is improving.

Ramirez said there have been more families sitting by the river, enjoying the grounds and eating sandwiches. "That's exactly what we'd like to see more of," he said.

Despite urban sprawl, Ramirez said he believes the community will continue to keep the Gila Box in pristine condition.

"It's going to take time. I'd like to think it's going to take education with citations," Ramirez said about improving the community's mindset on keeping the environment clean. "We do have that element -- urban sprawl. We're going to have more people out on public land, and that is going to create more of a problem."

The trash impacts the wildlife when an animal consumes something it should not eat or when the litter pollutes the river.

"If a person or animal cuts its foot on glass or an animal swallows glass," Blasius said, "it's not conducive for wildlife or people.

"Some people were probably fishing and figured that they were unable to unhook the turtle. They did what they thought was the best thing and cut the line."

Blasius said there are facilities with wildlife rehabilitators who are licensed by the state of Arizona and the federal government to assist distressed wildlife, such as turtles, white-tail deer fawns, birds, javelinas and coyotes.

Bates said deer should not be moved because of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (disease of the brain) affecting deer and elk.

"If they take in a deer or fawn, put it right back where they found it -- or don't move it in the first place," Bates said. "That's going to be their best chances."

Bates said mothers leave their baby fawns under a bush while they graze. They always come back to get them.

She said anyone who finds birds, javelinas or coyotes or other wildlife is welcome to contact the center.

If someone finds a big, dangerous animal, the center will pick up the animal and use tranquilizers when necessary.

Bates said after rehabilitation, the center releases the animals exactly where they found them. "That is very important," she said.

Several distressed animals found their way to the center this fall, she said. Several creatures "are teenagers now, and they are getting in trouble.

"We're getting a lot of fractured bones, hits by cars, electrocution, poison and secondary poisoning."

The phone number of the Tucson Wildlife Center is (520) 290-9453.