Where the Wild Ones Wander

Salt Lake City, UT– You don’t have to travel far to meet wild neighbors in Salt Lake City. From the banks of the Jordan River, through the foothills, and to the high peaks, there are telltale signs: pawprints in the mud, chewed willow sticks, a tuft of brown fur. For over seven years, Sageland Collaborative and University of Utah’s Wasatch Wildlife Watch program has captured glimpses of our elusive wildlife neighbors via a network of trail cameras dotted throughout the Wasatch. Hundreds of volunteers were enlisted to support the project and their trail cameras captured images of foxes, beavers, bobcats, and even cougar kittens. The data that this project has uncovered is visually astounding yet more importantly is a key role in scientists’ understanding of how wildlife move throughout urban areas and coexist alongside humans.

Expert quotes on significance of the project: 

“Since the project’s start in 2018, our network of trail cameras have captured over 1.2 million total photographs, resulting in 120,000 detections of more than 50 species. In addition to numerous scientific publications, these data have been used to inform wildlife-friendly trail network development along the Wasatch Front.”

“This project represents a remarkably successful collaboration between community scientists, university students, and partners who are capable of acting upon the data that’s been collected; ensuring that this work influences conservation policy and on-the-ground changes for wildlife.”

–Austin Green, Ph.D., Sageland Collaborative Ecologist & Conservation Biologist

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Wildlife photos were captured from project trail cameras. Photos of volunteers and staff by Sierra Hastings.  

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About Sageland Collaborative

For nearly three decades, Sageland Collaborative has provided science-based strategies for wildlife and land conservation. Our approach to conservation is through our partnerships, putting science into action, and basing our work in community. Together, we build on our shared values for wildlife and the land, we celebrate the wins, and we find joy in our work together. Our conservation goals focus on increasing biodiversity, ensuring wildlife can move freely across the landscape, and restoring habitats. 

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For Immediate Release
June 17, 2025

Contact:
Frances Ngo
Sageland Collaborative
frances@sagelandcollaborative.org | 909-242-252