2021 Wildlife Camera Program Snapshot

In 2021, 84 active volunteers logged 1,027 hours of volunteer time towards our Wildlife Camera Program.

Here is a snapshot of where we are at with our projects:

Oro Valley Wildlife Crossings Project

  • 20 active cameras divided equally east and west of the highway.
  • 350,000 photos
  • 65 species including mountain lion, bighorn, ringtail, coati, badger & raccoon. Many of these species include birds!
  • Mule deer activity increased west of the highway after crossing construction and has been steadily increasing with a just short pause after construction of the Big Wash multi-use trail.
  • A female mountain lion used the underpass coming from Big Wash this summer and our cameras photographed her continuing to move northeast into Catalina State Park.
  • Upgraded cameras to new and improved models, and replaced cameras lost to flooding.

 

I-10 East Project

  • 45 cameras across 10 study sites
  • Over 1 million photos
  • 36 species including black bear, mountain lion, opossum, Gould’s turkey, coati, ringtail, badger, and spotted skunk.
  • Monitoring for this project officially ends at the end of January 2022 with a final report in July 2022 that will include recommendations for culvert modifications and funnel fencing mitigation.
  • This project is funded with support from an Arizona Game and Fish Heritage Grant.

 

Tucson Mountains Project

  • 20 active cameras with plans to add more in early 2022.
  • 175,000 photos
  • 34 species including mountain lion, gray fox, spotted skunk, raccoon, mud turtle, and green heron.
  • This project started on private properties and the Los Morteros conservation area in the northern Tucson Mountains and now includes El Rio Preserve and the Santa Cruz River. We are expanding across I-10 into Pima County conservation lands on the east side of the Interstate near Avra Valley Rd, where we hope to place a future wildlife crossing structure.
  • We will also be adding new cameras on private properties along the I-11 corridor in Avra Valley in early 2022.
  • Upgraded cameras to new and improved models, and replaced cameras lost to flooding.

 

Sopori Wash Project

  • 5 new cameras deployed in partnership with the Arizona Land and Water Trust.

 

A huge thank you to all of our amazing volunteers and all the time, effort, and passion you contributed to this program in 2021!