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PROJECTS
Current Consulting Projects
The Wildlife Project conducts numerous projects--some grant funded, others funded by organizations, institutions, or our clients every year. Please feel free to contact us if you wish to collaborate or team, or if you have an interest in working with us as one of our clients.
We are currently working on several projects that include various natural history studies, long-term population monitoring, construction monitoring, and wildlife inventories of many species, including the following,
- California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense)
- California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii)
- Alameda whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus)
- American Bullfrog Control
- western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata)
- Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
- migratory nesting birds (from shorebirds and waterfowl to forest birds and raptors)
- California bat species [Pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus), Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii), bat maternity colonies, etc.]
- and many other species...
Other projects that we have include pond restoration and pond management, making your golf course wildlife friendly, conducting wildlife inventories, preparing CEQA related documentation, and responding to our client's needs for on-call services.
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| Conducting long-term monitoring on California red-legged frogs (Rana draytonii) |
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Research Projects in Progress
The Wildlife Project has worked tirelessly to incorporate natural history studies and wildlife survey techniques development projects into many of its core projects. When we learn new information, we make every effort to seek out others conducting similar work, and develop collaborations. We are currently working on numerous projects that not only enhance our understanding of wildlife species' needs, but also illustrate sound scientific methods and build lasting relationships.
- Bat roosts in California: a review and implications for management.
- Historic and current distribution of wolves in California.
- Response of California tiger salamanders to the removal of predatory fish.
- Colonization and use of constructed wetlands by California tiger salamanders.
- Removal of mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) from ponds used by threatened amphibians.
- Colonization and use of constructed wetlands by California red-legged frogs.
- A parsimony key for field identification of California garter snakes (Thamnophis sp.).
- Temperature characteristics of selected snake traps.
- Use of nesting platforms by Black-necked Silts in the face of rising water levels.
- Burn potential of walking surfaces for dogs (Canis familiaris) in California.
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Bullfrog Control
We do conduct bullfrog control at a variety of sites in California and in Mexico. Our biologists are permitted for this activity and have had great success in conducting bullfrog control and eradication. We use a method that has been approved by both federal and State wildlife agencies that is deemed extremely effective. Additionally, we teach a workshop on this method—air rifle with tin pellets.
Currently we are working on numerous sites where we are collecting bullfrogs from winery ponds, ponds within properties owned by land trusts, and a site where research is being conducted on the reestablishment of the California red-legged frog.
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Wildlife Preconstruction Surveys and Construction Monitoring
We frequently conduct surveys related to construction monitoring, preconstruction surveys, environmental compliance, etc. This includes large-scale projects, such as hazardous tree removal, solar array construction, and utility placement. But also include projects like lot-splits, private residential expansion projects, and road construction.
Currently we are working on several small projects at Travis Air Force Base; projects in Firebough, Mendota, and Patterson; and a pond construction project in Contra Costa County.
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Large-scale Land Management
We've been fortunate enough to work on large tracks of land that require a variety of management tools in order maintain conditions suitable for the conservation goals of the landowner. Grazing, mowing, vegetation planting, fence maintenance, pond management, and various efforts for permitting these types of tasks have become typical aspects of our work. Generally, these fall under the category of Conservation Easement management.
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Our International Projects - Mexico's red-legged frogs
We have been partnering with Fauno (Fauna del noroeste de Baja California), a small non-profit in northern Baja California, to assist with restoring habitat for the California red-legged frog. This non-profit does outstanding work in support of this species and numerous other species that occur in northern Baja California. They have had great success in creating new ponds that were quickly colonized by California red-legged frogs, and in restoring other ponds that show increased reproduction following restoration.
This group also offers an excellent herpetological workshop every spring. See our workshops page for more information.
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