An assessment of which areas within and adjacent to the San Diego Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) are occupied by American badger and would be suitable for further study of connectivity for badger. The Connectivity Monitoring Strategic Plan (CMSP) lists badgers as a priority for functional connectivity monitoring. The objective of this study was to identify badger locations in San Diego using canine scent detection. This method is advantageous in that large areas can be surveyed, in relatively little time, for badger scat, yielding information on badger home range locations and habitat usage within the county. This information will be utilized in future years to implement subsequent portions of the CMSP priority 1 connectivity monitoring of badgers which will analyze badger movement using radio telemetry techniques.
County: Riverside, San Diego
General: Central-central, Central-west, North-central, North-west, South-central, South-west
MU: 10, 11, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Project type: Monitoring
Target species: American badger
Target vegetation: chaparral, coastal sage scrub, grassland
Investigator: Amy Vandergast
Main implementing entity: U.S. Geological Survey
Point of contact: Cheryl Brehme
SDMMP lead: Sarah McCutcheon
Study lead: Cheryl Brehme
Budget year: pre FY15-1; Work plan objectives number: