Posts Tagged ‘Oracle Road wildlife crossings’
The latest monitoring data from the Oracle Road wildlife crossings!
Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) just released the latest and greatest monitoring data from the Oracle Road wildlife overpass and underpass. This represents FOUR FULL YEARS of monitoring these wildlife crossings since construction finished in March 2016.
Some notable data and results include:
- 26 different species have been observed using the crossings, including 11 species at the overpass and 25 species at the underpass.
- Over 10,000 wildlife crossings have been documented by AGFD cameras – 10,843 to be exact. These crossings are fairly evenly split between both structures, with 5,490 crossings at the overpass and 5,353 at the underpass.
- Over 98% of the crossings are by four species: mule deer, javelina, bobcat, and coyote.
- Total crossings at each structure have increased year upon year since construction finished. This means each year more and more wildlife are using these wildlife crossings.
For more results, you can read the full monitoring report HERE.
To learn more about why these crossings were built, how they were funded, and more, head over to the following webpages:
- Oracle Road Wildlife Crossings Overview
- Wildlife Results: It Works!
- The Big Picture: Tucson-Tortolita-Santa Catalina Mountains Wildlife Linkage
- Oracle Road Wildlife Crossings: Frequently Asked Questions
Mule deer on the Oracle Road wildlife bridge in March 2020. Photo courtesy Arizona Game and Fish Department.
A mule deer uses the Oracle Road wildlife underpass in April 2020. Photo courtesy Arizona Game and Fish Department.
New wildlife cameras generate spectacular photos
Thanks to a new partnership with volunteer, welder, and ecology student Raynor Vandeven, there are now four wildlife cameras out in the field with professional photography equipment capturing images of Sonoran Desert wildlife. These cameras are located in an area along the proposed I-11 route, in the Tucson Mountains, near the Oracle Road wildlife crossings, and in the I-10 East wildlife linkage area.
We are so grateful to Raynor for his willingness to share these images with the Coalition and can’t wait to start sharing more of them with you in the weeks and months ahead!
(Note: the photos below are examples of Raynor’s wildlife photography and were not taken in the locations described above. )
Oracle Road wildlife crossings featured on FOX10 Drone Zone segment
The Oracle Road wildlife crossings were recently featured on TV station FOX10’s Drone Zone segment in Phoenix. Check out this 3+ minute segment to see some amazing drone footage of both the Oracle Road wildlife underpass and overpass, along with a great interview of our partner Jeff Gagnon with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (click on the image/link below to access the full TV segment).
The latest numbers from our wildlife camera program
Thanks to all of our supporters and volunteers for another year of successful wildlife camera monitoring in the Tucson Mountains and Oro Valley study areas! See an overview of our Tucson Mountain camera project results HERE and our Oro Valley camera project results HERE.
We have been monitoring wildlife with wildlife cameras in the northern portion of the Tucson Mountains and Avra Valley for four years. To date we’ve seen over 30 species across 23 camera sites, data which helps inform our I-11 work and knowledge about the Tucson-Tortolita Mountain Wildlife Linkage. Javelina have been photographed most frequently, and it is good to see these native seed dispersers out and about! Other notable results in the last year include more badgers, and bobcats with kittens in tow.
In Oro Valley, we have been monitoring east and west of the Oracle Road wildlife bridge and underpass for a total of seven years! We now have excellent comparative data pre- and post- construction of the crossings that were built in May 2016. With 62 species across 49 camera sites (and nearly 78,000 photos!), we are seeing lots of cottontails and quail that are plentiful prey for coyotes, bobcats, and gray foxes. We’ve seen white-nose coati and bighorn, and our resident female mountain lion has appeared again this year several times just west of the wildlife bridge.
We will post more detailed results as we finalize project reports and dive into the fun and useful information these cameras have in store!
Mule Deer Constellations, a new article in the Desert Leaf
This mule deer was captured by our STITZER wildlife camera, monitored by volunteers Lisa Caprina and Doug Vollgraff.
Want to learn lots of interesting facts about the Sonoran Desert’s mule deer? Check out CSDP Conservation Science Director Jessica Moreno’s latest column in the Desert Leaf magazine. In this article, titled “Mule Deer Constellations,” Jessica follows the journey of one mule deer that was collared by the Arizona Game and Fish Department as part of the larger monitoring study of the Oracle Road wildlife crossings. Check out the article HERE to learn more about where this mule deer travels!
The full issue of the Desert Leaf can be found HERE.
The latest and greatest monitoring results from the Oracle Road wildlife crossings
In March 2019, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) released their latest monitoring results from the Oracle Road wildlife crossings. AGFD typically releases monitoring results twice a year so we should have an updated monitoring report sometime this fall.
March 2019 AGFD Monitoring Report on the Oracle Road wildlife crossings
Two summary graphs from the report are highlighted below:
This graph shows the total mule deer crossings at both the Oracle Road underpass and bridge. Mule deer started using the bridge almost immediately after construction finished and have been used it steadily ever since (blue line). More recently, mule deer have become more acclimated to using the underpass, with increasing numbers successfully crossing all the way through the underpass since Winter 2018. It is well established that some wildlife species will use wildlife crossings right away with little acclimation while others may take years before they become acclimated and then will start using the crossing regularly.
This graph shows the total crossings by all wildlife species at both the Oracle Road underpass and bridge. Wildlife started using both crossings very soon after construction completed and have been using them steadily ever since. This new connectivity across Oracle Road increases the health of our local wildlife populations by allowing them to reach new home ranges and find mates (which then supports healthy genetic diversity) and also increases the safety of Oracle Road itself with a reduction in wildlife-vehicle collisions. Miles of wildlife fencing was also installed as part of this project – the fencing directs wildlife to the crossings themselves and was designed using the best available science to accommodate a wide range of wildlife species.
Want to learn more about the Oracle Road wildlife crossings, why they are located where they are, how wildlife know to use them, how they were funded, and much more? Our website includes:
- An Overview of the Oracle Road wildlife crossings,
- A long list of Frequently Asked Questions,
- A look at The Big Picture, including existing plans to make sure land on both sides of the crossings stays protected as open space,
- A summary of Monitoring Results (which we will be updating soon!)
CSDP and the Oracle Road wildlife crossings featured on national news!
On Saturday, April 27, a new show on NBC, “1st Look,” aired a segment after Saturday Night Live about the Coalition and our work on the Oracle Road wildlife crossings. Coalition Conservation Science Director Jessica Moreno spent a long day in the field with the crew and host of the show, Johnny Bananas, in mid-March showing them the Oracle Road wildlife crossings, looking for a collared mule deer, tracking down a tortoise outfitted with a radio telemetry device, showing off one of our wildlife cameras, and more. Scientists from Arizona Game and Fish Department joined us for part of the day, along with Coalition volunteer and superstar Kathie Schroeder and her hawk Sueño. You can view the full 6-minute segment HERE or by clicking on the image below.
And a huge thank you to all our community science volunteers and supporters that have been instrumental to this project and volunteer program!
New interactive case study about the Oracle Road wildlife crossings
A new interactive case study about the Oracle Road wildlife crossings was just launched through the work of the Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative. This case study features both a 2-page summary and an interactive map with more detailed information. You can check out the case study at https://arcg.is/09arn8 or look at it in the box below. [In the box below, click on the blue left and right arrows at the bottom to access the different sections of the case study. Within each section, click on the blue “i” in the top right corner to read the narrative about each section.] And thank you for all your support for this innovative project!
New Game and Fish monitoring report documents over 4,400 animals using Oracle Road wildlife crossings in first 2 years
The Arizona Game and Fish Department recently released their latest monitoring report on the Oracle Road wildlife bridge and underpass. Game and Fish is in the middle of four years of post-construction monitoring of these wildlife crossings. According to the report, as of June 2018, 2,477 animals have used the wildlife bridge and 1,941 animals have used the underpass. The most common animals to use the bridge are mule deer, whereas the underpass sees a lot of javelina and coyote. One interesting finding is that with time, more mule deer are using the underpass as they become acclimated to it. Other notable species seen in smaller numbers include bobcats, white-nosed coati, raccoons, and skunks.
Game and Fish also continues to monitor a large group of desert tortoises on either side of the crossings with radio-telemetry devices attached to the tortoises’ shells. While none of these tortoises have been documented using the crossings yet, we are hopeful that eventually they will.
Check out some new photos taken on the crossings from Game and Fish below. You can also view the full monitoring report here.
Oracle Road Highway Cleanup
Give back to our community by joining the Coalition for our next highway cleanup along Oracle Road!
Our adopted one-mile stretch of road includes the new Oracle Road wildlife underpass. This is a fun way to meet fellow like-minded conservationists, get some exercise, and beautify one of our roadways, all with the spectacular backdrop of the Santa Catalina Mountains.
When: Saturday, April 14, 2018
Time: 8am- 10:30am
Where: Contact Sarah.Whelan@sonorandesert.org for a map to the meeting location.
What to wear/bring: Sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, sun hat, and a water bottle. We’ll provide snacks safety vests, gloves, and beverages!
R.S.V.P. to Whelan by email at Sarah.Whelan@sonorandesert.org or call 520-338-9925.
We hope to see you there!
