Coastal Sage Scrub Biodiversity Monitoring at the
Wild Animal Park

Of the 1,800 acres that comprise the Wild Animal Park, 900 are undeveloped, consisting largely of pristine coastal sage scrub vegetation. This expanse of natural habitat, which occurs at the nexus of two regionally important habitat corridors, provides an unparalleled opportunity for developing science-based management strategies for San Diego’s native biodiversity.

Since the mid 1990s, CRES researchers have been monitoring native biodiversity on the natural areas surrounding the Wild Animal Park. Reptiles and amphibians are monitored using a system of 20 pitfall trap arrays. Birds are monitored using fixed-radius point counts, which assess species presence and provide an index of relative abundance. Small mammals are censused at the same sites as reptiles and amphibians, using live-trapping and mark-recapture techniques.

Expected outcomes of this work include:

• A computerized GIS-compatible database of information on the presence, location, and abundance of species during different seasons of the year, as well as associations with particular plant assemblages
• A long-term monitoring protocol with guidelines for identification and standardized transect sampling of vertebrate species in coastal sage scrub habitats
• A comprehensive understanding of native wildlife movements across and through the Wild Animal Park preserve
• Recommendations for appropriate methods for buffering Wild Animal Park natural areas from human influences.
  

This program should continue in perpetuity for proper management of the biodiversity of this valuable piece of property.