A LOOK BACK AT WHAT PARK RESEARCHERS HAVE ACCOMPLISHED By Jillian Petersen, Environmental Services Intern with Colorado Desert District Team lizard: John Taylor, , Connor Moret, Samantha Birdsong, Zakher Bouragaoui
As a desert lover reading this magazine, you may have wondered what occurs behind the scenes at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (ABDSP). Many of us have been to the Visitor Center, where staff and volunteers interpret information about the Park and share the best places to see wildflowers or go on a four-wheel drive tour. You may not realize however, that park scientists, university researchers and volunteers are constantly studying the biological, geological, archaeological and paleontological resources in the Park. These ecologists, GIS (Geographic Information Systems) specialists, paleontologists and archaeologists work hard to understand, monitor and protect the resources of our beloved desert. They are responsible for collecting scientific data and using it to make informed conservation decisions that preserve the land, flora, fauna and history for future generations. And it's more than just the Anza-Borrego desert where they work! This small team of scientists work in the two mountain parks that are part of the Colorado Desert District - Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and Palomar Mountain State Park. Accordingly, this team of dedicated scientists must strive to understand the relationships or 'connectivity' that exists between these geographically-related parks. A summary of some of the research they've conducted over the past year follows. We are thrilled to be able to work as a team and share insights with visitors and desert lovers like you!
Flat-Tail Horned Lizards (Phrynosoma mcallii, "flat-tails") Surveys
Flat-Tailed Horned Lizards (Phrynosoma mcallii, "flat-tails") camouflage themselves by flattening their bodies to the ground and eliminating any possibility of creating shadows. They are hard to spot but we are completing another successful season of surveys in ABDSP. ABDSP is a founding member of the Flat-Tail Horned Lizard Interagency Coordinating Committee (FTHL ICC) and continues to participat in integrated rangewide surveys for the lizard. The FTHL ICC coordinates conservation efforts for
