WILDLIFE CORRIDOR LAB 11

Summary

1.       Common name: Red Fox

Binomial name: Vulpes vulpes 

This report discusses the need for wildlife corridors spanning AZ highway 96 to allow safe passage for animals, specifically the Red Fox, from one wilderness habitat to another for the purposes of breeding, obtaining resources and maintaining biodiversity of the ecosystems within each habitat.  The layout and some information obtained for this report was obtained from the document “Principles of Wildlife Corridor Design” by Monica Bond.    

   

Introduction

2.       The habitats that will be connected are interior chaparrals and temperate deserts.  The topographical features are rolling hills, mountains, canyons, creeks and rivers.  Temperatures in the daytime are high in summer and low in winter with some precipitation.  The vegetation is drought-resistant--dense shrubs and dispersed succulents.  Quercus turbinella oaks (poke oak or sonorant scrub oak), opuntia polycantha haw (prickly pear cactus), and saguaro cactus are some of the plant species in these biomes.  Red foxes, mountain lions, bears, hawks, eagles, rattlesnakes, bullhead snakes, and other reptiles, arachnids, amphibians, and insects all inhabit these biomes.  These species habitats are in need of a corridor where highway 96 fragments the habitats disrupting the natural ecological processes in the spatial and temporal scales.  In other words, the distance between habitat patches where the species live and reproduce and the generational habitat life span are affected by habitat fragmentation. This along with vehicles, light pollution, and noise from the vehicles disorients and impedes the animal’s passage. 

Corridor’s Effects & Current and Future Impediments

3.       1,000 foot wide bridged undercrossing habitat corridors along the length of this highway may help mitigate the affects of habitat fragmentation for the Red Fox and other species and help sustain the inner core habitat.  This may decrease *negative edge effects and increase positive edge effects between the ecological communities along the habitat boundaries or ecotone.  The current noise, light pollution and fast moving vehicles that scare the shy species away from the roads preventing them from freely moving through habitats will be reduced through the use of under crossings and allow for the species to move between habitats.  A corridor will allow for males, who otherwise live alone, to safely traverse between habitat patches during mating season.  This will help reduce the chances of inbreeding of the species and birth rate declines that are a result of geographical isolation due to fragmentation.  Corridors will allow for long-term genetic interchange of the species allowing for metapopulations within the habitat patches where their population has possibly been extirpated.  The existence of the Red Fox in these habitat patches will help support the short-term and long-term biodiversity and sustainability of their ecosystems through the natural ecological services that the Red Fox supplies. The fox’s diet helps control populations of mice, voles, shrews, moles, squirrels, rabbits, lizards, snakes grasshoppers, skinks, beetles and other insects.  Their feces release seeds from the berries they eat allowing for new plant growth, helping sustain the habitats diversity.  In turn plants help support the abiotic areas in the habitat by mitigating or reducing soil erosion, cycling CO2 into oxygen through photosynthesis and providing other nutrients to other species.  Fox pups are a food resource for hawks and owls.  Implementing this method will reduce current and future conditions that disrupt its natural environment and impede this species movement and will increase biodiversity in each patches core habitat . Currently no housing or other development is taking place and most of the land along the highway is designated wilderness with small dispersed areas of private land.  Industrial building or development of cities is unlikely however if future housing is permitted these regulations will be implemented: each homeowner must maintain a 30ft x 60ft buffer between the native vegetation and their lot for fire abatement; wood fencing is not permitted and no feeding of wild animals, except bird feeders (Bond 2).  Housing must be at least 5 miles from the highway or corridors.  Roads to housing must be at least .25 miles from corridors on either side.

   * Negative edge effects for this species may include: risk of parasitism or disease increases, adverse microclimate conditions, inbreeding or loss of genetic interchange and competition from invasive species.

Specifics of Corridor Design

4.       Corridor Features

Monica Bonds report recommendation will be utilized­­--Each corridor will be 1,000 foot wide culvert under the highway (2).  They will be installed every 7,920 feet or 1.5 miles.  Conservation easements or land trust will be implemented near each corridor to prevent any housing development within 5 miles and roads within 1/4 of a mile of the corridors.  Any lights on the exterior of homes must be aimed at the ground and towards the house to avoid light pollution in the habitat. 

Culvert Design

The following methods were obtained from Bonds work at the Center for Biological Diversity. Each undercrossing will be 1,000 feet wide and on flat ground not on a hillside or slope.  The bottom of the culverts will be filled with substrate that is native to the habitat and cobbled concrete will underlay the substrate.  Wildlife crossing signs will be installed at each corridor on both sides of the highway.  Fencing at least 6 feet high will be installed to help create a path that guides animals to the culverts. Native shrubs and succulents will be planted and maintained near the entrances of the corridors and edges of the road.  6 foot fencing will also be installed along the highway edge for .50 miles or half a mile on either side of the corridors to help guide the animals to the corridor.   

Vegetation Restoration

The USDA and Forest Service will financially support and maintain the native vegetation near the corridors and edge of the highway.  Every 3 to 5 years the vegetation will be mowed or surface burns will be performed near the corridors and edge of the road for fire prevention and nutrient replenishment.  These plants will help reduce noise and light pollution and provide cover for the shy Red Fox and other species.   

Management and Enforcement

Signs stating no feeding of wild animals will be posted near each corridor.  Educational pamphlets will be passed out to people living in the small community at the end of highway 97.  If housing is ever permitted along highway 96 regulations will be implemented: each homeowner must maintain a 30ft x 60ft buffer between the native vegetation and their lot for fire abatement; wood fencing is not permitted and no feeding of wild animals, except bird feeders (Bond 2).  Furthermore, housing must be at least 5 miles from the highway or corridors.  Roads to housing must be at least .25 miles from corridors on either side.  

5.     The male Red Fox lives alone until mating season therefore these corridors will accommodate movement between habitat patches during this period of time.  This will prevent geographical isolation and inbreeding of the species that can lead to a decline in birth rates and population size.  The species will have more biotic and abiotic resources available to them, such as berry plants, small mammals, insects, water sources and shelter options.  The likelihood this species will be hit by a vehicle will decrease.  This shy species is more likely to move freely through each corridor and between habitats due to added cover from culverts and plants that help keep distance between the animals and the road and help reduce noise and light pollution from vehicles.  The Red Fox will have hundreds of miles of wildlife habitat to move between in each habitat patch.    
  

6.       Corridor Map 

  

Each undercrossing will be 1,000 feet wide and on flat ground not on a hillside or slope.  They will be installed every 7,920 feet or 1.5 miles.  The bottom of the culverts will be filled with substrate that is native to the habitat and cobbled concrete will underlay the substrate.  Wildlife crossing signs will be installed at each corridor on both sides of the highway.  Fencing at least 6 feet high will be installed to help create a path that guides animals to the culverts. Native shrubs and succulents will be planted and maintained near the entrances of the corridors and edges of the road.  6 foot fencing will also be installed along the highway edge for .50 miles or half a mile on either side of the corridors to help guide the animals to the corridor.  The Forest Service will maintain the vegetation and keep the corridor entrances clear of organic debris and trash and they will maintain these structures- fencing and culverts.  They will also help handle trespassers and other violations.  Forest Service biologists will monitor the use of the culverts by Red Foxes and record their data and submit reports.  Forest Service corridor monitoring and monitoring culvert use by the Red Foxes is an important part of corridor planning and allows for future adaptive management planning.     

  

7.       Corridor Campaign Poster/Pamphlet 

Front

Backside

References:

Bond, Monica.  “Principals of Wildlife Corridor Design.” Center for Biological Diversity.  Oct. 2003: 1-3. Print.

Hockett, C.J. CJ Hockett Photography. cjhockett.com. N.p. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

Lewis, Cindy. Cranberrycoho Photography. Cranberrycoho.photoshelter.com. N.p. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.