Week 5 on Wasatch Wildlife Watch: It's Almost Time to Take Down Your Camera!

Wasatch Wildlife Watch Volunteers,

You checked your camera during Week 3, and now it's nearly time to take it down! Visit your site between May 31 - June 6 to recover your camera, fill out your data sheet, and check, recharge, or change the batteries

Remember to let Austin know if you are NOT able to complete the visit as planned.

Start-of-Season Survey & Prize Drawing

Will you take a few minutes to fill our start-of-season survey? It's quick, helps us better engage the community in conservation, and enters you in a drawing for an outdoor prize!

Community Scientist Facebook Page

As you're getting out in the hills, don't forget to join our new Wasatch Wildlife Watch Community Scientists page on Facebook. There, you can share stories and connect with other volunteers!

We also appreciate any project photos, videos, or stories you'd be willing to share with us. You can also tag us in your posts and stories on social media.

Wasatch Wildlife Watch volunteers Jennifer and Danny Menlove

Wasatch Wildlife Watch volunteers Jennifer and Danny Menlove

Volunteer Highlight

Our volunteer highlight is...Angela Rowland! Angela is in her third year as a Wasatch Wildlife Watch community scientist. Thank you for your dedication!

What originally drew you to participate in the project?   

I saw a story in the Salt Lake Tribune. I was looking to volunteer somewhere that was NOT with people, since my day job is high school principal. I love to hike and am fascinated by wildlife, and I like navigating to an unknown place.

Do you have any field stories you'd like to share?

There is always at least one sudden and violent rainstorm while you are setting up a camera in May, not to mention snow on the trail. But my favorite experiences were capturing a bear and a young mountain lion on my cameras last summer, on cameras within sight and earshot of I-80.

Wasatch Wildlife Watch Volunteer Highlight Angela Rowland.

Wasatch Wildlife Watch Volunteer Highlight Angela Rowland.

What has been your favorite part of volunteering so far?

I like that it has taken me to obscure areas that don't draw a lot of hikers, such as the north side of Parley's Canyon, but are packed with wildlife.

What keeps you continuing to volunteer?

It's amazing to me that wildlife seems to be thriving in spite of population incursions, so I think it's important to figure out why and how this happens. Mostly I'm just curious about where the next site will be and what will be in the next photo. My sister Amy Rowland started working with me during COVID last season, which has made it much more fun.

What have you learned as a volunteer?

I've learned that I'm not great at the detailed procedures that are the basis of good science, so I really need the checklist. I've become ten times more aware of wildlife signs like scat, footprints, and trails. And I've learned to always bring a rain jacket in May, even when the hike is short and the sun is out.

 

Image Sorting

Note that an online training for optional image sorting will be coming in the next few weeks! Austin has been working on getting Wildlife Insights up and running to support this work as soon as possible. 

 

Don't Forget

1 - Make edits as needed to your completed Camera Rotation Schedule form at any point in the season. To edit your response, search your email inbox for "Wasatch Wildlife Watch Camera Rotation Schedule" from sender "Google Forms." If you haven't filled out the form, make sure to do so ASAP.

2 - ​Fill out our training survey if you haven't yet. Your feedback is incredibly important to us and helps us improve future trainings.

3 - Stay safe! Keep COVID and backcountry hunting in mind as you're planning your camera take-down. If possible, also plan to go into the field with a partner or let someone know about your plans. Please always follow Wild Utah Project's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies.

4 - You can order T-shirts at any point in the season!

Project Resources

Thank You

Thank you for your passion for wildlife in the Wasatch. We could not maintain this crucial wildlife project without the power of you, our dedicated community scientists.

 

Happy trails,

The Wasatch Wildlife Watch Team

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