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This blog is predominately about camera trapping in California. We camera trap to save our souls and to teach primary school students about biology and conservation. We will also touch on other camera trapping news and musings, sets from afar, mediocre herpetology, sucky birding, and other natural history discussions.

Monday, May 30, 2016

Introducing the Otters

Greetings loyal readers!

As mentioned a couple of months ago, my high school Biology classes are taking part of a pilot program with the River Otter Ecology Project, completing data surveys through camera trapping and scat collection.

Several initial disappointing camera checks frequently resulted in many captures of newish local resident, the devil bird:




...Or tremendous growth in shore plants that did offer a meditative atmosphere:



Throughout these trap fails, students were still able to build skills in identifying signs of otters, collect scat that is currently being analyzed at SF State, develop a greater understanding of the local ecosystem and from time to time, see them swimming at a a distance.

In April, with some minor camera adjustments after Spring Break, the students finally captured the local otters:


With a month left in the school year, students will close out this first otter school season with two more weeks of data, then compile a best of video. Exciting times!