Taxpayers can help conserve bald eagles, wolves, and tortoises, among others 
  
Did you know that your state taxes do not support the conservation of Arizona’s wildlife, but your donations do? Taxpayers can help the state’s wildlife at tax time by “making a mark” on their state income tax form. 
  
The Arizona Wildlife Fund is a voluntary program that allows Arizona taxpayers to make a donation to help imperiled and endangered wildlife, including majestic bald eagles, black-footed ferrets, California condors, Apache trout, Mexican wolves and desert tortoises, among other nongame species. Nongame wildlife are those animals that are neither hunted nor fished in a traditional sense.
  
“While we recognize that economic times are difficult for many residents right now, we hope that people will recognize the value of protecting our wildlife during these critical periods,” says Mike Senn, the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s assistant director of wildlife management. “The cumulative effect of even a small donation has tremendous impact on conserving the state’s wildlife resources, which provide a variety of low-cost recreational opportunities for residents to enjoy and real economic benefits to local communities.”
  
Arizona is one of 41 states that allows taxpayers to make a contribution to worthwhile causes. Since Arizona started the program more than 25 years ago, taxpayers have donated more than $5 million to the conservation of nongame animals. In 2007, the most recent year for which figures are available, the average donation was more than $21.
  
“Every dollar counts, and donations help ensure that the public has opportunities to view and enjoy one of Arizona’s greatest natural treasures – it’s diverse wildlife,” says Senn.
  
The Arizona Wildlife Fund box can be found on line “38” of the state’s income tax form.
  
For more information on the Arizona Wildlife Fund, visit www.azgfd.gov/makeamark. To learn more about the conservation and reintroduction efforts the fund supports, visit http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/nongame_species.shtml.