Species Detection Survey Protocols

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Species Detection Survey Protocols SPECIES DETECTION SURVEY PROTOCOLS SWIFT FOX SURVEYS Fish and Wildlife Branch Technical Report No. 2014-17 December 2014 i www.environment.gov.sk.ca/ SWIFT FOX SURVEY PROTOCOL First Edition 2014 PUBLISHED BY: Fish and Wildlife Branch Ministry of Environment 3211 Albert Street Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 5W6 [email protected] SUGGESTED CITATION FOR THIS MANUAL: Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment. 2014. Swift fox survey protocol. Fish and Wildlife Branch Technical Report No. 2014-17. 3211 Albert Street, Regina, Saskatchewan. 10pp. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Alberta’s Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Ministry is gratefully acknowledged for provision of their Sensitive Species Inventory Guidelines April 2013 document and permission to adapt the guidelines for Saskatchewan. The document provided a base reference and content source for personnel conducting respective species surveys in Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan Swift Fox Survey Protocol Acknowledgements: Sue McAdam has compiled much of the respective Saskatchewan species-specific survey protocol parameters and lead edits of the Saskatchewan protocol versions based on the Alberta Sensitive Species Inventory Guidelines April 2013. The Research Permit Process Renewal working group (Karyn Scalise, Sue McAdam, Ben Sawa, Andrea Benville and Ed Beveridge) has also contributed to reviews of the Saskatchewan protocol along with additional ministry-external reviewers. COVER PHOTO CREDITS: H. Armbruster CONTACT: [email protected] COPYRIGHT Brand and product names mentioned in this document are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Use of brand names does not constitute an endorsement. Except as noted, all illustrations are copyright 2014 Ministry of Environment. ii 17.0 SWIFT FOX SURVEY PROTOCOL 17.1 INTRODUCTION This survey protocol provides instruction on survey techniques and data collection for the occupancy (presence/not-detected) of swift fox (Vulpes velox). Live capture combined with telemetry and spot lighting were previously used to detect swift fox. Trapping is stressful and has caused injury to captured animals (Schauster et al. 2002). Less intrusive survey methods, such as scent post surveys combined with motion-activated cameras (Hockaday 2011) and scat/track surveys are now more commonly used in swift fox detection surveys. 17.1.1 Status and Distribution Historically, swift fox were found throughout prairie regions in southern Saskatchewan and Alberta (COSEWIC 2009). They were considered extirpated from Canada in the late 1930s following drastic range-wide declines in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Extirpation was primarily due to habitat loss, trapping and predator control. The swift fox reintroduction program was initiated in 1983, with a soft release in the Nashlyn PFRA community pasture. Later hard releases were carried out until the program ended in the mid 1990s. Swift fox have now re-established in Alberta and Saskatchewan and have expanded into northern Montana. Census results from 2006 indicate that a small but stable population of approximately 647 foxes in Canada. Also, all fox captured during the 2006 survey were unmarked, indicating that the populations are reproducing naturally (Moehrenschlager and Moehrenschlager 2006). Considering the small vulnerable swift fox populations, their ability to persist is still uncertain. For further information on the status of the swift fox in Saskatchewan, please visit the Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre (SKCDC) website. The Saskatchewan population is concentrated south of the Cypress Hills and in the vicinity of Grasslands National Park and northwest of Val Marie (COSEWIC 2009). Swift fox have been documented undertaking significant dispersal events (Ausband and Moehrenschlager 2009). Swift fox have been confirmed in the Hudson Bay, Battleford and Dakota Dunes areas of Saskatchewan. 17.1.2 Biology Swift fox are active throughout the year and are primarily nocturnal. Swift fox are capable of reaching speeds of over 60 km/h. Speed facilitates hunting for this opportunistic predator. In Canada, breeding begins in March and gestation averages 51 days (Moehrenschlager and Moehrenschlager 2006). Pups remain in the den for the first month and are weaned at six to seven weeks. Juveniles disperse at four to five months of age, in the late summer in Canada (Moehrenschlager and Moehrenschlager 2006). Swift fox need relatively flat, native grassland habitat with low ground cover to enhance mobility and visibility. They also require the presence of burrowing animals such as badgers (Taxidea taxus) and Richardson’s ground squirrels (Urocitellus richardsonii) for dens. Swift fox will modify and use multiple dens for year-round for shelter, raising young and for escaping predators. December 2014 Fish & Wildlife Branch Swift Fox Survey Protocol Page 1 of 9 17.2 SURVEY STANDARDS The standards provide instructions on the areal extent of surveys to be conducted. They also provide information on experience, capabilities, minimum equipment needs, survey conditions, and permit requirements. 17.2.1 Survey Area Extent Surveys must be conducted in areas with SKCDC observations as well as in any areas that provide suitable habitat for the species in question. The proposed project area, plus the appropriate setback distances, must be assessed. All suitable habitat within this area must be surveyed. Setback distances identified in the Saskatchewan Activity Restriction Guidelines (Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment 2013a) are based on the species and the level of disturbance associated with the project. 17.2.2 Personnel Personnel must be able to identify swift fox, identify suitable habitat, and have a well-developed search image for swift fox. Personnel must be familiar with the survey methodology. Knowledge of specific swift fox biology and behaviour is also a desirable asset that would allow for more accurate results. Personnel must be capable of working safely in winter conditions. The need for experienced observers cannot be over-emphasized. 17.2.3 Time of Year Surveys must be conducted during winter as swift fox home ranges expand considerably in the winter therefore detection will likely increase. Furthermore they are less confined to natal dens and are more likely to investigate food odours due to a scarcity of resources. Surveys during the breeding season (February 16th- July 31st) must be avoided. Surveys must start no earlier than September 1st and be completed no later than February 15th each year. 17.2.4 Time of Day Swift fox are largely nocturnal; therefore camera traps must be set up for detection during night time hours. Stations must be in place a minimum of 1 hour prior to sunset, and visited no earlier than 1 hour after sunrise. Considering this deployment strategy, camera equipment must have suitable infrared ability for clear night-time photography as well as cold tolerance to reliably function in extreme winter weather. 17.2.5 Environmental Conditions A compendium of environmental condition standards (Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment 2013b) has been prepared to complement the survey protocols for Saskatchewan. The full range of values for the respective environmental condition (e.g., temperature, precipitation, cloud cover, noise, etc.) has been provided in the standards document with the expectation that appropriate value range(s) will be applied as per the survey protocol parameters. 17.2.5.1 Scent Post Camera Trap Survey Environmental Conditions Deployment during inclement weather may reduce activity at camera traps, therefore surveys must be extended if periods of rain, snow and/or high winds occur during the camera trap deployment. Camera traps must be periodically monitored to ensure scent lures have not been removed and that equipment is functioning properly, especially after inclement weather events. December 2014 Fish & Wildlife Branch Swift Fox Survey Protocol Page 2 of 9 17.2.5.2 Snow Track Survey Environmental Conditions Snow track surveys must be carried out between three to five days of a snow obliterating event (Squires et al. 2004). A snow obliterating event is defined as a snowfall of 1 or more centimetres or an average daily wind speed of 30 km/h or more (ABMI 2010). This time period allows more opportunity for tracks to accumulate in the area (Linnell et al. 2007) and increases detection compared to surveying soon after a snow event (Squires et al. 2004, Linnell et al. 2007). Snow must be a minimum of two to five centimeters deep and soft enough for animals to leave tracks (Halfpenny et al. 1995). Tracking surveys must also end before signs are too old to distinguish identification characteristics. Avoid surveying with freeze/thaw conditions as they may prevent tracks from being left on the surface (Halfpenny et al. 1995). Sunny conditions may also provide shadowing of tracks resulting in better detection. Periods of extreme cold (<-30°C) during track accumulation must also be avoided (Linden et. al. 1996) as animal activity may be reduced and there are safety risks to personnel. 17.2.6 Survey Effort The primary method for surveys involves the use of scent post stations and motion-activated cameras. This method can be supplemented with secondary snow tracking and spotlight surveys. Camera traps must be deployed in a 1 km grid network throughout the project area. Arrangement of the traps will depend on the nature of the survey area. Camaclang and colleagues (2010) provide estimates of latency of detection and graphs that show a cumulative proportion
Recommended publications
  • The Disastrous Impacts of Trump's Border Wall on Wildlife
    a Wall in the Wild The Disastrous Impacts of Trump’s Border Wall on Wildlife Noah Greenwald, Brian Segee, Tierra Curry and Curt Bradley Center for Biological Diversity, May 2017 Saving Life on Earth Executive Summary rump’s border wall will be a deathblow to already endangered animals on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. This report examines the impacts of construction of that wall on threatened and endangered species along the entirety of the nearly 2,000 miles of the border between the United States and Mexico. TThe wall and concurrent border-enforcement activities are a serious human-rights disaster, but the wall will also have severe impacts on wildlife and the environment, leading to direct and indirect habitat destruction. A wall will block movement of many wildlife species, precluding genetic exchange, population rescue and movement of species in response to climate change. This may very well lead to the extinction of the jaguar, ocelot, cactus ferruginous pygmy owl and other species in the United States. To assess the impacts of the wall on imperiled species, we identified all species protected as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, or under consideration for such protection by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“candidates”), that have ranges near or crossing the border. We also determined whether any of these species have designated “critical habitat” on the border in the United States. Finally, we reviewed available literature on the impacts of the existing border wall. We found that the border wall will have disastrous impacts on our most vulnerable wildlife, including: 93 threatened, endangered and candidate species would potentially be affected by construction of a wall and related infrastructure spanning the entirety of the border, including jaguars, Mexican gray wolves and Quino checkerspot butterflies.
    [Show full text]
  • Distribution, Ecology, Disease Risk, and Genetic Diversity of Swift Fox
    South Dakota State University Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2018 Distribution, Ecology, Disease Risk, and Genetic Diversity of Swift oF x (Vulpes Velox) in the Dakotas Emily Louise Mitchell South Dakota State University Follow this and additional works at: https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd Part of the Animal Sciences Commons, and the Other Life Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Mitchell, Emily Louise, "Distribution, Ecology, Disease Risk, and Genetic Diversity of Swift oF x (Vulpes Velox) in the Dakotas" (2018). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2692. https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/2692 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DISTRIBUTION, ECOLOGY, DISEASE RISK, AND GENETIC DIVERSITY OF SWIFT FOX (VULPES VELOX) IN THE DAKOTAS BY EMILY LOUISE MITCHELL A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science Major in Wildlife and Fisheries Science Specialization in Wildlife Sciences South Dakota State University 2018 ii iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS "When we try and pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe." - John Muir I must thank my major advisor Dr. Jonathan A. Jenks for not only suggesting me for this position, but also stepping in when I was in need of a new advisor.
    [Show full text]
  • Den Site Selection by Golden Jackal (Canis Aureus) in a Semi Arid Forest Ecosystem in Western India
    Bulletin of Pure and Applied Sciences Print version ISSN 0970 0765 Vol.39A (Zoology), No.1, Online version ISSN 2320 3188 January-June 2020: P.160-171 DOI 10.5958/2320-3188.2020.00019.4 Original Research Article Available online at www.bpasjournals.com Den Site Selection by Golden Jackal (Canis aureus) in a Semi Arid Forest Ecosystem in Western India 1Pooja Chourasia* Abstract: 2Krishnendu Mondal The availability of dens in habitat is essential for 3K. Sankar successful recruitment and it is confining factor for the distribution and abundance of den 4 Qamar Qureshi dependent species. Present study was conducted in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, India. To Author’s Affiliation: determine the most influential variable for 1,4 Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, selectivity of den sites by golden jackal (Canis Uttarakhand 248002, India aureus), data on habitat characteristics were 2 Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate studied at two scales. The physical structure and Change Government of India, New Delhi 110003, protective capabilities of dens were studied at India small scale (microsite selection) by use- 3 Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural availability design along with discrete choice History, Anaikatti, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu models. The selection of den in relation to 641108, India environmental factors was studied at larger scale (macrosite selection) using binary logistic *Corresponding author: regression in generalized linear model. Thirty six Pooja Chourasia jackal dens were observed in the study area (0.23 Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, den / km2). The hypothesis received support as a Uttarakhand 248002, India factor for den site selection was ‘ease of excavation’ at micro scale (314 m2) and ‘cover and E-mail: resource’ at macro scale (3.14 km2).
    [Show full text]
  • CPW Furbearer Management Report 2016-2017 Harvest Year
    Colorado Parks and Wildlife Furbearer Management Report 2016-2017 Harvest Year Report By: Mark Vieira Furbearer Program Manager April 3, 2018 Executive Summary Furbearer Management Report - Executive Summary 2016-2017 In order to prioritize management and harvest data collection needs, CPW examined furbearer species for their relative reproductive potential, habitat needs and risks, as well as relative amounts of historic harvest. This examination resulted in development of management guidelines in 2012 for bobcat, swift fox, and gray fox harvest and efforts toward improving confidence in harvest survey results for swift fox, gray fox, and pine marten. Management Guidelines Bobcat – At all spatial scales bobcat are meeting the management thresholds. The available information suggests that bobcat populations are stable or increasing in most or all of Colorado. Mortality density was below thresholds at all scales. Female harvest composition stayed at high levels in most areas of the state, similar to last year, contrary to the notion of stabilized or increasing bobcat populations. However, it should be noted that while female proportions in hunting harvest (the least selective form of mortality) have risen to 50% or above at most monitoring scales, hunting comprises only about 40% of total bobcat mortality, second to trapping. Prey abundance appears to be at average levels. A 5-year baseline index was established for Harvest per unit effort (HPUE), which will be used in future evaluations. Swift Fox – Surveys indicate no significant changes in habitat occupancy between 1995 and 2016. Occupancy surveys were completed in fall of 2016 and results indicate nearly identical swift fox occupancy rates to 2011.
    [Show full text]
  • Status of the Swift Fox (Vulpes Velox) in Alberta
    Status of the Swift Fox (Vulpes velox) in Alberta Susan E. Cotterill Alberta Wildlife Status Report No. 7 Published By: Publication No. T/370 ISBN: 0-7732-5132-4 ISSN: 1206-4912 Series Editor: David R. C. Prescott Illustrations: Brian Huffman For copies of this report, contact: Information Centre - Publications Alberta Environmental Protection Natural Resources Service Main Floor, Bramalea Building 9920 - 108 Street Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5K 2M4 Telephone: (780) 422-2079 OR Communications Division Alberta Environmental Protection #100, 3115 - 12 Street NE Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2E 7J2 Telephone: (403) 297-3362 This publication may be cited as: Cotterill, S. E. 1997. Status of the Swift Fox (Vulpes velox) in Alberta. Alberta Environmental Protection, Wildlife Management Division, Wildlife Status Report No. 7, Edmonton, AB. 17 pp. ii PREFACE Every five years, the Wildlife Management Division of Alberta Natural Resources Service reviews the status of wildlife species in Alberta. These overviews, which have been conducted in 1991 and 1996, assign individual species to ‘colour’ lists which reflect the perceived level of risk to populations which occur in the province. Such designations are determined from extensive consultations with professional and amateur biologists, and from a variety of readily-available sources of population data. A primary objective of these reviews is to identify species which may be considered for more detailed status determinations. The Alberta Wildlife Status Report Series is an extension of the 1996 Status of Alberta Wildlife review process, and provides comprehensive current summaries of the biological status of selected wildlife species in Alberta. Priority is given to species that are potentially at risk in the province (Red or Blue listed), that are of uncertain status (Status Undetermined), or which are considered to be at risk at a national level by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).
    [Show full text]
  • World Wildlife Fund Swift Fox Report
    SWIFT FOX CONSERVATION TEAM Swift Fox in Valley County, Montana. Photo courtesy of Ryan Rauscher REPORT FOR 2009-2010 SWIFT FOX CONSERVATION TEAM: REPORT FOR 2009-2010 COMPILED AND EDITED BY: Kristy Bly World Wildlife Fund May 2011 Preferred Citation: Bly, K., editor. 2011. Swift Fox Conservation Team: Report for 2009-2010. World Wildlife Fund, Bozeman, Montana and Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Helena 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 5 Swift Fox Conservation Team Members ............................................................................................. 6 Swift Fox Conservation Team Participating Cooperators .................................................................... 7 Swift Fox Conservation Team Interested Parties ................................................................................. 8 STATE AGENCIES Colorado Status of Swift Fox Activities in Colorado, 2009-2010 Jerry Apker ............................................................................................................................. 10 Kansas Swift Fox Investigations in Kansas, 2009-2010 Matt Peek ................................................................................................................................ 11 Montana Montana 2009 and 2010 Swift Fox Report Brian Giddings ......................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 116 / Friday, June 16, 1995 / Proposed
    Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 116 / Friday, June 16, 1995 / Proposed Rules 31663 solely on a determination of whether the Bureau of Land Management Fish and Wildlife Service submittal is consistent with SMCRA and its implementing Federal regulations 43 CFR Part 3100 50 CFR Part 17 and whether the other requirements of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 30 CFR parts 730, 731, and 732 have [WO±610±4110±02 1A] been met. and Plants; 12-Month Finding for a Petition To List the Swift Fox as RIN 1004±AC26 Endangered National Environmental Policy Act Promotion of Development, Reduction AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, No environmental impact statement is of Royalty on Heavy Oil Interior. required for this rule since section ACTION: Notice of 12-month petition AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, finding. 702(d) of SMCRA [30 U.S.C. 1292(d)] Interior. provides that agency decisions on SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service proposed State regulatory program ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; notice of reopening of comment period. (Service) announces a 12-month finding provisions do not constitute major for a petition to list the swift for (Vulpes Federal actions within the meaning of SUMMARY: On April 10, 1995, the Bureau velox) under the Endangered Species section 102(2)(C) of the National of Land Management (BLM) published Act of 1973, as amended. After review Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. in the Federal Register (60 FR 18081) a of all available scientific and 4332(2)(C)). notice of proposed rulemaking to amend commercial information, the Service the regulations related to the waiver, finds that listing this species is Paperwork Reduction Act suspension, or reduction of rental, warranted but precluded by other higher royalty, or minimum royalty on ``heavy priority actions to amend the List of This rule does not contain oil'' (crude oil with a gravity of less than Endangered and Threatened Wildlife information collection requirements that 20 degrees).
    [Show full text]
  • Interspecific Killing Among Mammalian Carnivores
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Digital.CSIC vol. 153, no. 5 the american naturalist may 1999 Interspeci®c Killing among Mammalian Carnivores F. Palomares1,* and T. M. Caro2,² 1. Department of Applied Biology, EstacioÂn BioloÂgica de DonÄana, thought to act as keystone species in the top-down control CSIC, Avda. MarõÂa Luisa s/n, 41013 Sevilla, Spain; of terrestrial ecosystems (Terborgh and Winter 1980; Ter- 2. Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology and borgh 1992; McLaren and Peterson 1994). One factor af- Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, fecting carnivore populations is interspeci®c killing by California 95616 other carnivores (sometimes called intraguild predation; Submitted February 9, 1998; Accepted December 11, 1998 Polis et al. 1989), which has been hypothesized as having direct and indirect effects on population and community structure that may be more complex than the effects of either competition or predation alone (see, e.g., Latham 1952; Rosenzweig 1966; Mech 1970; Polis and Holt 1992; abstract: Interspeci®c killing among mammalian carnivores is Holt and Polis 1997). Currently, there is renewed interest common in nature and accounts for up to 68% of known mortalities in some species. Interactions may be symmetrical (both species kill in intraguild predation from a conservation standpoint each other) or asymmetrical (one species kills the other), and in since top predator removal is thought to release other some interactions adults of one species kill young but not adults of predator populations with consequences for lower trophic the other.
    [Show full text]
  • Als9527.0018.004.Pdf
    The Endangered Species UPDATE published this issue in partnership with the Defenders of Wildlife. Defenders of Wildlife is a leading nonprofit con- Endangered Species servation organization recognized as one of the nation's most progressive UPDATE advocates for wildlife and its habitat. Defenders uses education, litigation, A forum for information exchange on research and promotion of sound conservation policies to protect wild ani- endangered species issues JulyIAugust 2001 Vol. 18 No. 4 mals and plants in their natural communities. Defenders has been a national leader in wolf restoration and protection for two decades. Founded in 1947, M. Elsbeth McPhee ................. Managing Editor Jennifer Jacobus Mackay.. ........ Associate Editor defenders is a 501(c)(3) membership organization with more than 430,000 Nina Fascione................................. Guest Editor members and supporters. It is headquartered in Washington, DC with field Stephen Kendrot .............................. Guest Editor offices around the country. Martin E. Smith. .............................. Guest Editor Paula Zemrowski ......................... Content Editor Last November, Defenders of Wildlife hosted Carnivores 2000, a con- Deborah Kleinman....................... Content Editor ference on carnivore conservation in the twenty-first century. The confer- Chris Wood.................................. Content Editor ence, held in Denver, Colorado, spanned the full taxonomic range of carni- SaulAlarcon.. ..................Web Page Coordinator Terry L. Root ............................. Faculty Advisor vores and addressed both biological and sociological issues impacting car- nivore conservation in North America and abroad. Due to its overwhelming Advisorv Board Richard Block success, Defenders of Wildlife will hold a second conference, Carnivores Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens 2002, in Monterey, California November 18 to 20,2002. This conference will Susan Haig likewise encompass the full range of marine and terrestrial carnivores.
    [Show full text]
  • List of 28 Orders, 129 Families, 598 Genera and 1121 Species in Mammal Images Library 31 December 2013
    What the American Society of Mammalogists has in the images library LIST OF 28 ORDERS, 129 FAMILIES, 598 GENERA AND 1121 SPECIES IN MAMMAL IMAGES LIBRARY 31 DECEMBER 2013 AFROSORICIDA (5 genera, 5 species) – golden moles and tenrecs CHRYSOCHLORIDAE - golden moles Chrysospalax villosus - Rough-haired Golden Mole TENRECIDAE - tenrecs 1. Echinops telfairi - Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec 2. Hemicentetes semispinosus – Lowland Streaked Tenrec 3. Microgale dobsoni - Dobson’s Shrew Tenrec 4. Tenrec ecaudatus – Tailless Tenrec ARTIODACTYLA (83 genera, 142 species) – paraxonic (mostly even-toed) ungulates ANTILOCAPRIDAE - pronghorns Antilocapra americana - Pronghorn BOVIDAE (46 genera) - cattle, sheep, goats, and antelopes 1. Addax nasomaculatus - Addax 2. Aepyceros melampus - Impala 3. Alcelaphus buselaphus - Hartebeest 4. Alcelaphus caama – Red Hartebeest 5. Ammotragus lervia - Barbary Sheep 6. Antidorcas marsupialis - Springbok 7. Antilope cervicapra – Blackbuck 8. Beatragus hunter – Hunter’s Hartebeest 9. Bison bison - American Bison 10. Bison bonasus - European Bison 11. Bos frontalis - Gaur 12. Bos javanicus - Banteng 13. Bos taurus -Auroch 14. Boselaphus tragocamelus - Nilgai 15. Bubalus bubalis - Water Buffalo 16. Bubalus depressicornis - Anoa 17. Bubalus quarlesi - Mountain Anoa 18. Budorcas taxicolor - Takin 19. Capra caucasica - Tur 20. Capra falconeri - Markhor 21. Capra hircus - Goat 22. Capra nubiana – Nubian Ibex 23. Capra pyrenaica – Spanish Ibex 24. Capricornis crispus – Japanese Serow 25. Cephalophus jentinki - Jentink's Duiker 26. Cephalophus natalensis – Red Duiker 1 What the American Society of Mammalogists has in the images library 27. Cephalophus niger – Black Duiker 28. Cephalophus rufilatus – Red-flanked Duiker 29. Cephalophus silvicultor - Yellow-backed Duiker 30. Cephalophus zebra - Zebra Duiker 31. Connochaetes gnou - Black Wildebeest 32. Connochaetes taurinus - Blue Wildebeest 33. Damaliscus korrigum – Topi 34.
    [Show full text]
  • Keep the Swifts Safe and Sound by Laura Macinnes-Rae
    SECOND PLACE : S W I F T F O X Keep the Swifts Safe and Sound By Laura MacInnes-Rae For most Canadians, as September approaches it means a change in season. However if you are an Earth Ranger member then you know that September means the launch of new protection projects for threatened animals in Canada. Founded in 2001, the Canadian kids’ conservation organization Earth Rangers actively exists to educate and execute projects to protect animals that are at risk and their futures. Canada is proud to be home to thousands of species however many are becoming endangered. Just 35 years ago, swift foxes disappeared from due to habitat loss. Though reintroduced in the 1980’s, the swift fox is under Earth Ranger’s critical watch as Alberta and Saskatchewan have recently become subject to prairie habitat loss. September 2014 brought to the forefront the Western screech owl, bobolink, Eastern wolf and the swift fox to the Earth Rangers campaign. The annual Bring Back the Wild campaign, works on individualizing its projects to suit the needs of each threatened species of focus. Earth Rangers is excited to announce its protection project plans for the swift fox. The swift fox vulpes velox is a small fox that inhabits southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan. These speedy, tan-coloured omnivores are territorial and therefore thrive in open prairie locations where they have space to roam and run freely. Typically their lifespan is about 3-6 years in the wild. Their population is steadily decreasing from both natural and unnatural factors. Agricultural development has become a large concern because it decreases the areas of open prairie.
    [Show full text]
  • Swift Fox Surveys Conducted? Pattern of Swift Fox Tracks Swift Fox Tracks (Walking) (Actual Size) Several Methods Can Be Used to Determine If Swift Fox Are Present
    How are swift fox surveys conducted? Pattern of Swift Fox Tracks Swift Fox Tracks (walking) (actual size) Several methods can be used to determine if swift fox are present. Scent stations are used The to identify animals by their footprints. Scent stations are constructed by placing a bait or 5 scent lure in an area of finely sifted soil. 8in. 1 8 Carnivores like the swift are attracted to the in. bait and can be detected by the tracks they leave at each station. Another method is the front spotlight survey. Biologists drive designated routes one hour after dark with hopes of 8in. seeing the animal during its most active period. Live-traps may be used in special Swift situations when specific information like 1½ weight or length needs to be obtained. State in. law requires any TPW biologist to obtain 10 in. hind permission from the landowner before entering onto private land. No data can be recorded or reported from private land without specific written permission from the landowner. Fox What should I do if I see a swift fox? Contact: Texas Parks & Wildlife PO Box 659 Canyon, Texas 79015 Phone (806) 655-3782 PWD BR W7000-0032 (3/97) Dispersal of this publication conforms with Texas State Documents Depository Law, and it is available at Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. IN TEXAS Swift fox (Vulpes velox ) are one of the Dallam Sherman Hansford Ochiltree Lipscomb smallest of the North American foxes. Their Are there swift fox in Texas and where should Hartley Moore Hutchinson Roberts Hemphill historical range includes the short grass I look for them? Oldham Potter Carson Gray Wheeler Deaf Smith Randall Armstrong Donley Collings- prairie regions of 10 states from Texas to worth Canada.
    [Show full text]