Urban Wildlife Research Team
Camera Research
In partnership with Occidental College, AFC uses research to guide land acquisition and environmental education, under the leadership of Dr. Amanda Zellmer, a Biology professor at Occidental College, and our Urban Wildlife Research Leader, Ruby Siehl. Our team manages over 50 motion-sensing cameras, or camera traps, across the Hahamongna to Tujunga (HTC) Wildlife Corridor, spanning from the Arroyo Seco to the San Gabriels. Camera traps are remotely activated to capture images of wildlife, helping us identify species and monitor wildlife passage through this critical corridor.
One of our camera transects is a part of the Urban Wildlife Information Network (UWIN), a global effort using standardized wildlife monitoring to study urban species. AFC, in collaboration with USGS and Occidental College, has placed 20+ cameras along a 20-mile transect within our study area.
Created at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, UWIN is a partnership of researchers across the country and internationally who follow a set of wildlife-monitoring protocols to understand the ecology and behavior of urban wildlife species. Through these long-term data collection efforts and collaborations, we can better understand the ecology of wildlife in cities and what patterns hold true around the world. This knowledge is what we need to build smarter, greener cities that can be part of the solution to the biodiversity crisis.
UWIN partners across the world:
Volunteers
All of these efforts are supported by our team of volunteers and scientists. Volunteers help maintain cameras, identify wildlife photos, attend meetings, and assist with community science projects. No experience is needed. We’d love to have you join us!
If your property is frequented by wildlife and you’re interested in helping us study wildlife movement, send us an email so we can place a camera on your land.
Sign up via our volunteer form or contact our Urban Wildlife Research Leader Ruby Siehl.
