Conservation News

Following is a selected project highlight from the Share with Wildlife mission to assist all New Mexico wildlife in need, no matter what species. Can Restoration Work Spread Disease? There are many habitat restoration and improvement projects done around New Mexico each year, including in riparian areas along our state’s rivers. These projects sometimes entail the use of plants grown in nurseries, especially in instances where naturally growing plants within reasonable transport distance of the study area aren’t sufficiently abundant to support collection of plant materials from the field. There are some river drainages that are home to rare amphibians, and other species, that would potentially be negatively impacted if a novel pathogen or pathogen variety were to be introduced to their habitat during a habitat restoration project. For example, many species of amphibian are vulnerable to the effects of chytrid fungus and many aquatic vertebrate species, including fish, reptiles, [...]

Following is a selected project highlight from the Share with Wildlife mission to assist all New Mexico wildlife in need, no matter what species. Gathering Data on Young Vireos Juniper savanna at the Sevilleta. (Mark Watson) Have you ever looked at the pinyon-juniper forests that grace much of northern and central New Mexico and wondered what kind of birds live in them? Have you ever thought about how biologists determine what kind of habitat features are most important to birds when they are selecting a site to build their nest or when young birds have just left the nest? Using funding from the Share with Wildlife program, Dr. Henry Streby and his graduate student, Silas Fischer, from the University of Toledo are helping biologists at New Mexico Department of Game and Fish answer these questions for one inhabitant of the sometimes underappreciated pinyon-juniper woodlands of New Mexico; the [...]

Following is a selected project highlight from the Share with Wildlife mission to assist all New Mexico wildlife in need, no matter what species. Tons of Diversity in the Bootheel Allison radio tracks a nestling. (Ginny Seamster) Have you ever driven through southwestern New Mexico, along I-10 west of Lordsburg, and wondered how species lived in this part of the state? In particular, where do they go? What features on the landscape are important to them? Using funding from the Share with Wildlife program, Dr. Martha Desmond and her graduate student, Allison Salas, from New Mexico State University are helping biologists at New Mexico Department of Game and Fish answer these questions for one inhabitant of the bootheel region of New Mexico; the Bendire’s thrasher. Allison and her team of field technicians have been searching for Bendire’s thrashers in areas where pairs were detected in previous years, as [...]

Following is a selected project highlight from the Share with Wildlife mission to assist all New Mexico wildlife in need, no matter what species. Engaging Students in Studying Wildlife Along New Mexico Rivers Santa Fe Indian School students and teacher on field visit. (Rich Schrader) How many different animals can you find on the river near where you live? What is the quality of the habitat that these animals use? What can you find out about the biology and relationships to their environment of particular species found in riparian areas (i.e., habitat next to rivers) in New Mexico? Riparian habitat quality datasheet. (Ginny Seamster) Testing river water phosphorous content. (Ginny Seamster) River Source is using Share with Wildlife funds to work with students at three schools in northern New Mexico to answer these questions and [...]