Tallie: An Original Wasatch Wildlife Watch Volunteer

Tallie with her trail camera.

Our Volunteer of the Month Tallie Casucci was one of the original participants in the first season of Wasatch Wildlife Watch, and has established cameras at the same sites every season since. Project lead Austin Green says, “Tallie never misses a deadline and is one of the first to check in every week. She is one of the most reliable members of the Wasatch Wildlife Watch team. Furthermore, Tallie establishes a site with difficult terrain, and her camera positioning is truly top-notch. We are very lucky to have Tallie on the team!”

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What originally drew you to Wasatch Wildlife Watch?

I was originally interested in the Wasatch Wildlife Watch because it was an opportunity to contribute to an interesting citizen science project, which could lead to data-driven decisions and policies for our beloved Wasatch. My husband found the project on Sageland's website when he was day-dreaming about jobs that would get him outside, so he signed us up.

What is your favorite part about the project?

One of my favorite parts is seeing changes at our three sites over time – both weekly and yearly. We also really enjoy hearing how the data are used in the overall analyses.

Do you have any interesting/funny field stories, findings, etc. you'd like to share?

Our favorite photos are of a baby moose sleeping and grooming itself for several hours. It's quite flexible!

Why is wildlife conservation important to you?

We want to contribute to wildlife conservation for future generations and healthy ecosystems, especially given the growth (and anticipated growth) of the urban/suburban valleys. The Wasatch mountains are the reason we still live here.

What would you say to new volunteers on the project?

We would remind them to have fun exploring our local canyons and greenspaces. Also, try to be mindfully present and observe the small things, rather than thinking about your future to-do lists. Enjoy the time outside in nature!