Why we’re tracking beetles in the Mojave Desert
The Women in Science Discovering Our Mojave internship program has provided new insights into the movement of bighorn sheep in the Mojave Desert, with game cameras collecting data and images of the elusive species. In addition to tracking data on the comings-and-going of those lovable caprines, we’re also doing data collection on a slightly less cuddly species that are shaking things up in Afton Canyon.
Wildlife cameras pinpoint movement of protected bighorn sheep
MDLT’s Women in Science Discovering our Mojave (WISDOM) project has been analyzing data from seven cameras to better understand the movement of bighorn in one area of Mojave Trails National Monument. The results are now in.
Wildlife cameras provide close-ups of bighorn sheep
Afton Canyon is known locally as the “Grand Canyon of the Mojave”. It not only has impressive geological formations, but it is one of the few places where the Mojave River flows above ground all year. Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) are one of the wildlife species that use this area. MDLT’s Women in Science Discovering Our Mojave (WISDOM) program is helping the Bureau of Land Management provide a range of recreational access in Mojave Trails National Monument, while also ensuring the well-being and protection of wildlife and other sensitive resources.