Wildlife Corridor Lab

1.  

I have chosen the Bob Cat, otherwise known as Lynx rufus.

2.  

The habitat I have chosen is Prescott, AZ. This is a forest habitat. This habitat is part of the biotic community, Petran Montane Conifer Forest.  The topography shows elevation is approximately 5650 - 5400 feet. Other abiotic factors of the Prescott area include an average high of 69.6 degrees F, a low of 38.8 degrees F, and average annual precipitation at 17.9 inches. There is a wealth of wildlife diversity present, including everything from the Bob Cat, Javalina, Coyote, to Rabbits, Mice, and Tarantulas. The current human population in Prescott is just over 40,000.  Prescott is part of the larger, 'Quad City Area', which is closer to 95,000 total population. The Prescott area commonly hosts tourist events, raising the population periodically for holidays and town celebrations.  Prescott is also home to a community college and private college.

3.

The Bob Cat is currently common in Northern Arizona. Per "The Ecosystem of Bob Cats", it has been noted that the Bob Cat may be a keystone species; because of this, it is vital we support Bob Cats  thrive in our community. Their current birth rate was not readily available, but it is mentioned the Bob Cat gives birth between April and June, with an average yield of 2-3 kittens per litter. Per the Arizona Game and Fish Department, frequently, a Bob Cat will have a territory of over 12 miles. Given the spatial need of the Bob Cat's territory, it would make sense to provide a corridor to allow their territory to be as big as desired.  

There are areas of habitat fragmentation for the Bob Cat currently in Prescott. On the map below, one can see Highway 69 divides areas of Prescott that continue to provide homes for the native species of the area.  It is also noteworthy, the point of the intended corridor lies on Yavapai Reservation; there have been mentioned plans to expand on the reservation. With this future development in mind, it is important to make plans to support the natural wildlife from the looming edge effect. 

4.

In order to utilize effective adaption management, one must look at the main points of concern, current and future. Currently, there is already an edge effect occurring due to population increase, and retail expansion. Regarding the future, there is a threat of increasing the commercialized area, which could further the already established habitat fragmentation. With this in mind, it is clear that a corridor would serve the Bob Cat in maintaining a large territory, and remaining a keystone species in the area. 

The corridor would stretch over Highway 69, directly east of Frontier Village, but west of the Prescott Canyon Community.  Given the tight space provided, the corridor would be (at best) 1200 feet wide, and approximately 1/3 of a mile long, stretching south beyond the rear property line of Frontier Village, and north beyond the U-Haul rear property line. This tactic would increase the natural area for Bob Cats and other wildlife alike to find the entrance and exit without threat. Ideally, this corridor would be raised above the highway a fair amount, with natural vegetation planted the entire length. It would also be established that future building would not be permitted within a 500 ft space on either side of the entrance.  Any current home owners of the Prescott Canyon Community would be provided with free education regarding wild life in their area. Specific instruction would be given, and rules established to support efforts against feeding/interacting directly with the wildlife utilizing the corridor. 

5.

This corridor will assist the Bob Cats in opening up their territory. This will allow the current breach in one habitat to be mended, providing a safe crossing from current impediments.  For wildlife heading north, Bob Cats and other creatures would have to travel under 1/4 mile from their current position on P-Mountain to reach the corridor.  Alternately, wildlife heading south would have a similar distance to achieve entrance to the corridor. With this corridor, geographic isolation could be prevented by Bob Cats to the north of Highway 69, as there are far more resources and space to the south. It is also worth noting, per the Prescott National Forest's Ecological and Biological Diversity in Prescott National Forest, that there are at least 3 other terrestrial animals on the endangered/threatened species list and another 31 animals on the 'species-of-concern' list.  This means this corridor can assist all creatures on this list remain in their core habitats and provide mitigation from their current status. Below is a photo of the wildlife corridor that I drew my design plots from. This is provided by natureofwildworks.org

6.

With this visual, we see where the corridor would begin and end in relation to the current structures and roadways. From this view, we can see the mesh of natural vegetation along the corridor, along with the spacious openings on either side. 

7. 

Works Cited:

"Living With Bobcats." Living With Bobcats. Arizona Game and Fish Department. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.

"Temperature - Precipitation - Sunshine - Snowfall." Climate Prescott. U.S. Climate Data. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.

"The Ecosystem of Bobcats." Science. Opposing Views. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.

"The Phoenix Fund: A Legacy of Protecting Our Mountain Lions." The Phoenix Fund: A Legacy of Protecting Our Mountain Lions. Web. 16 Nov. 2015. <http://www.natureofwildworks.org/the-phoenix-fund-a-legacy-of-protecting-our-mountain-lions/>.

"TopoQuest Map Viewer - N34.55125° W96.00000°." TopoQuest Map Viewer - N34.55125° W96.00000°. Web. 16 Nov. 2015. <https://www.topoquest.com/map.php?lat=34.55125&lon=-112.43808&datum=nad83&zoom=2&map=auto&coord=d&mode=zoomin&size=m>.

Vander Lee, Bruce. "Ecological and Biological Diversity in Prescott National Forest." F.S. USDA.GOV. Prescott National Forest Services. Web. 16 Nov. 2015. <http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev3_020948.pdf>.