Environmentalist, Michael Berry, is Co-Founder of the non-profit Channel Islands Tracking Team. In this Our Ventura TV interview with Hanna Lynn Roth, he talks about some of their activities, which include monitoring the biological diversity of the Channel Islands region of Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Western Los Angeles counties. The group is comprised of volunteers and citizen scientists who love nature and want to learn about wildlife tracking.
Michael discusses wildlife “linkages,” which are animal movement corridors. These corridors connect wildlife habitats and are areas where animals can freely move through. These linkages keep the animals out of the public eye and keep them safe. Rivers and streams are examples of natural linkages, including where they go under roads.
More specifically, due to increased urbanization, it’s becoming more difficult for animals to move between parks and forest land.
Wildlife tracking helps to understand where to develop wildlife corridors to help reduce animal deaths through road kills.
He talks about the “Splatter Spotter” app, which is designed to allow users to help scientists track where road kill is the most common. This information contributes to better road designs and crossing structures to minimize the harm to animals and the hazards to drivers.
Michael references the following two books as resources to learn about tracking:
- Mammal Tracks & Sign: A Guide to North American Species, by Mark Elbroch
- Bird Tracks & Sign: A Guide to North American Species, by Mark Elbroch, Eleanor Marks and C. Diane Boretos
Michael welcomes any and all to learn more about the Channel Islands Tracking Team.
Producer: GeorgeAlger.com
Director: Evan Carpenter
Sponsor:
SkyworksMarketing.com