Research
Connectivity For Wildlife’s core business is providing robust scientific research and data for the identification, verification and monitoring of wildlife linkages.
Why are Corridors Important
Corridors are important for metapopulations; they provide travel routes and habitat for species to immigrate
(ex. males searching for mates.) and emigrate (ex. juvenile dispersal) within their metapopulation.
(McCullough 1996)
Linkages (or corridors) provide the following:
- Enable species to find new mates and ensure genetic diversity.
- Allow for young to disperse and find new territories.
- Provide access to new habitats in case of a catastrophic event such as disease or fire.
- Ensure access to food and water.
- Retain historic migration routes.
One of the core scientific principles that this research is based on is the concept of metapopulations.
Metapopulations: a discontinuous distribution of an animal population, which is distributed over spatially
disjunct patches of habitat “patches”, which are separated by intervening unsuitable habitat in which the
animals cannot survive within. (McCullough 1996)
The first step in designing a viable wildlife linkage is gathering robust data.
Wildlife Utilization of Coyote Valley: Badger Locations
Once the data is collected, then a corridor design can be created.
Corridor Design
Corridor Buffers = Conservative - 1.8km wide
width of the average of the largest badger home range.
(Harrison 1992, Lindzey 1978; Sargeant & Warner 1972,
Lampe & Sovada 1981; Messick & Hornocker; Goodrich & Buskirk 1998,
Minta 1993; Hoff 1998; Collins 2003; Quinn current Thesis work)
The Corridor design is only useful if it is effective. Therefore, all corridor designs must be ground truthed.
Ground truthing is a process of actually going to the habitats and linkages and observing and recording
what actually takes place. Connectivity for Wildlife uses motion activated camera traps and tracking to
confirm wildlife activity in a linkage.
Cameras
Motion activated infrared cameras are a non-invasive method to gather data.
Identify habitat linkages for multiple species using field camera stations and formal wildlife tracking
methods.
Field CameraProtocol for recording tracks