Science Institute News Recent accomplishments of CDFW's scientific community CDFW working to improve negative effects of non-consumptive recreation on conservation May 8, 2020 in Science Spotlight Editor’s Note: As we publish this article, California, the nation, and the whole world are gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic. To slow its spread and not overwhelm healthcare resources, distancing and stay-at-home orders have led to the delay of trout openers and other fishing events, and closure of parks, reserves and many other publicly accessible facilities. Stories are beginning to emerge of increased wildlife presence in park and reserve areas that are normally filled with people. We look forward to the end of the pandemic and its horrible devastation will be over very soon but we know it will be some time before we realize a return to “normal.” We hope to gain from this emergency more information on wildlife’s response to fewer visitors – data that may be able to help us improve our management of parks and reserves in a way that protects wildlife and their habitat while also providing reasonable recreation experiences. In the meantime, stay well, and stay home to save lives. Tagged With: bobcats, California, Carlsbad Highlands Ecological Reserve, CDFW’s Habitat Conservation Planning Branch, elk, endangermen, environmental stewardship, federal lands, gray fox, illegal trails, mountain bikers, mule deer, Natural Community Conservation Planning, non-consumptive recreation, racoons, reptile species, The Nature Conservancy, U.S. states, vulnerable species, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Science Spotlight: Studying a “Foundation Species” in the Shadow of Mount Shasta November 8, 2017 in Wildlife Research In this rugged region of the Golden State, mule deer are an iconic species, valued by recreationists and required by wild carnivores who prey upon them for nourishment. Mule deer are considered a “foundation species” because the large landscapes that are necessary for their survival can also be home to a vast array of other wildlife and plant species. Tagged With: collars, mule deer, UC, California, CDFW, deer, fawns, Fish and Wildlife, GPS, Mount Shasta, population dynamics, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, study, University of California Deer DNA Study in the Sierra Nevada and Central Coast Ranges June 13, 2017 in Wildlife Research Deer population estimates are an important element of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) management decisions regarding the species – including setting quotas for deer-hunting seasons, acquiring land and identifying habitat improvement projects. Historically, CDFW has relied upon helicopter surveys to obtain these population estimates, but such surveys can be problematic. While they are effective in open and largely flat areas, they are less so in tree-laden areas where deer are hidden from sight. They can also be extremely expensive. Tagged With: Fish and Wildlife, Nevada, Placer, Sierra, 2016, 2017, 2018, Alpine, biologists, California, CDFW, Coast Range, deer, deer zones, DNA, droppings, fecal, genes, genetic fingerprint, hunting, Lassen, mule deer, NCR2, North Central Region, Odocoileus hemionus, Plumas, quota, research, study, UC Davis, wildlife
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